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Beth Ditto (born 1981) is the vocalist of American band The Gossip. She is from Arkansas.

Ditto came to wider public attention in November 2006 when she was selected by NME as the coolest person in rock - being placed at number one in the magazine's annual 'Cool List'. The magazine cited her 'non-conformity' as the reason for her selection - she is a lesbian, an outspoken advocate of gay rights, weighs around 95 kg (210 lbs. or 15 stone), and is also in a relationship with a transgendered man.

The band's breakthrough song "Standing in the Way of Control" was written by Ditto as a response to her government's decision to deny gays the right to marriage in the US. "Nobody in the States was that surprised or shocked by what Bush did, but it made everyone I know feel helpless and cheated," Beth says. "I wrote the chorus to try and encourage people not to give up. It's a scary time for civil rights, but I really believe the only way to survive is to stick together and keep fighting."

Ditto was nominated for Sexiest Woman Of The Year in the NME Awards 2007. She has also received criticism following a recent outburst in which she claimed that supporting Scissor Sisters on tour was "soul-sucking".

Trivia

• She has never eaten squirrels as is commonly misreported. However, her cousin and father did.

• Says she doesn't wear deodorant, and also doesn't shave her armpits. "I think punks usually smell." she claims.

References

1. http://gossipyouth.net/bio/
2. http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2006/11/why_beth_ditto_is_the_coolest.html
3. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2464811,00.html
4. Curve Magazine
5. The Guardian Music
6. Beth Ditto criticises Scissor Sisters fans.
7. CNN, The insiders guide to Beth Ditto, retrieved 5th February 2007
8. Interview in The Sunday Times' Style section, February 4th 2007
9. http://www.psychopedia.com/dailynews/2006/11/listen_upi_dont_think_were_in.html

External links

• The Gossip website
• BBC report of NME cool list
• Subculture Magazine Interview

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