Band To Watch and Best New Band Charly Bliss have shared a new song called “Turd,” with all proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. It’s a forceful reclamation of power from creeps on the street that would dare catcall or assault someone on the street (hey — the country just elected one of those!). “I don’t want to stop and chat/ And I don’t want to smile back/ I think he wants to eat my face/ I think he wants to put me in my place,” Eva Grace Hendricks sings at the beginning. “In your dreams, turd!” Listen and read some words from Hendricks below, and pay what you can for the track here.

I wrote this song a year ago after I was catcalled repeatedly on my walk home from a guitar lesson. I left the lesson feeling so huge and high and proud of myself, and I could feel that confidence diminish with every comment from passing strangers. When I was almost home, a man grabbed my shoulder and said, “I don’t know who you are but you have to come home with me, I need to be with you.” I tried to say no and brush past him, but he followed me the remaining blocks to my door, begging me, and yelling at me to talk to him. When I finally convinced him that I wasn’t interested, he screamed “CUNT” and spat at my feet.

Sadly, this isn’t shocking. Stuff like this happens to me all the time, it happens to my friends all the time. I don’t know one woman who hasn’t experienced being touched, licked, kissed, etc. without consent. When we are on tour I ask Spencer to wait for me outside the bathroom door because I have had so many terrifying experiences with gas station attendants, especially in states where bumper stickers that say things like “Girls are like guns, keep them around enough, you’re going to want to shoot them” are commonplace. I am a white woman from an extremely privileged community, and this is my daily reality. I shudder to think of how much worse that daily reality is for my poc friends, my queer friends, my muslim friends, and my trans friends.

We have just elected a President who believes that this type of behavior from men is totally acceptable. A scary demogorgon who perpetuates this type of behavior himself! I wrote this song to make me feel like I had some power in a situation where I felt totally powerless, and we’re releasing it for the same reason. If you are able to buy this song on bandcamp, all of the proceeds are going to Planned Parenthood. We stand with love and we believe in a future free from bigotry and fear.

In your dreams, Mr. President! (turd)

Eva

“Turd” is available now. All proceeds go to Planned Parenthood.