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Sapphic Country? Chappell Roan’s “The Giver” is the Gay Country Anthem We Needed

Jaiden Barger Student Contributor, University of Cincinnati
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cincinnati chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

From “The Lawyer” to “The Plumber” to “The Dentist,” she’s here to get the job done.

The “Femininomenon” lives on—Chappell Roan’s long-awaited lesbian country anthem,“The Giver,” has finally arrived.

The 27-year-old Grammy-winning superstar has once again outdone herself, and this time, she’s giving us rhinestone cowgirl realness with “The Giver”—a twangy anthem that flips country music’s tired, hyper-masculine tropes on their head. And let me tell you, it’s exactly what we needed.

From the moment she sings, “Girl, I don’t need no pickup truck / Revvin’ loud to pick you up / ‘Cause how I look is how I touch,” it’s clear she’s not here to play by the boys’ rules. There’s no need for performative machismo or a lifted truck compensating for something—the “Red Wine Supernova” singer delivers pure confidence, charisma, and an energy that feels both playful and undeniably hot. The whole song is a power move, effortlessly turning country’s “good ol’ boy” persona into something sapphic, camp, and completely her own.

Then there’s the lyric that really seals the deal: “All you country boys saying you know how to treat a woman right / Well, only a woman knows how to treat a woman right.” Like, be so serious. Not only is this a major mic drop moment, but it’s also one of the most refreshingly bold statements I’ve heard in a country song. It’s not just a fun, catchy track—it’s a direct challenge to the genre’s history, and frankly, it’s about time.

But beyond its infectious energy, what exactly is this sapphic country—sorry, c*ntry—anthem all about?

Unsurprisingly, “The Giver” is a not-so-subtle ode to queer women who take the lead. Roan makes it clear with lines like, “Ain’t got antlers on the walls, but I sure know mating calls from the stalls in the bars on a Friday night.” She playfully mocks taxidermy as a typically masculine pastime while making it clear her instincts are better used elsewhere.

Inspired by classic pop-country anthems like Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee,” “The Giver” is Roan’s first new release since the breakout success of “Good Luck, Babe!” last year.

“I have such a special place in my heart for country music,” the “Pink Pony Club” singer said in a press release. “I grew up listening to it every morning and afternoon on my school bus and had it swirling around me at bonfires, grocery stores, and karaoke bars… ‘The Giver’ is my take on c*ntry xoxo may the classic country divas lead their genre, I am just here to twirl and do a little gay yodel for y’all.”

Roan originally debuted “The Giver” as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live last year, performing in a pink gingham leather set by Zara Bayne—a nod to cowboy buckskins—against a green-screened backdrop of oversized trees and animated critters. A full backing band, including a fiddle player, joined in behind her, decked out in matching western shirts.

On a recent episode of Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast, the “Hot to Go!” singer reflected on why she wanted to make a country song. “Well, I can’t call myself the Midwest princess and not acknowledge country music, straight up,” she told Country Heat Weekly hosts Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson. She clarified that she wasn’t trying to “invade” the genre but rather tap into what country music means to her—nostalgia, freedom, and a kind of carefree fun that pop doesn’t always allow.

Beyond the song itself, Roan’s entire rollout for “The Giver” is peak camp. Over the past month, she’s introduced characters like the lawyer, the plumber, the construction worker, and the dentist—each with their own vinyl single variation. The message? She gets the job done.

With “The Giver,” she proves that country music doesn’t have to be limited to straight cowboys and whiskey-soaked breakups. This song is for the rhinestone cowgirls, the queer country fans, and anyone who’s ever wanted to hear a woman confidently take the lead in a country song without it being wrapped in the male gaze. Chappell Roan gets the job done—and she does it better than any country boy ever could.

Jaiden Barger is the Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus at the University of Cincinnati, where she also serves on the chapter’s social media team. She oversees content planning, edits and publishes weekly articles, manages a team of writers and editors, and helps coordinate partnerships and events on campus. Jaiden writes across a wide range of topics, but she especially loves covering style, pop culture, entertainment, and identity. Whether she’s breaking down fashion trends, curating book recommendations, or reflecting on modern girlhood, she brings creativity, intention, and a distinct voice to every piece.

Outside of Her Campus, Jaiden was honored with the Changemaker Award from the University of Cincinnati’s Women’s Center, recognizing her leadership and impact on campus. She is also a contributing writer for Dreamgirlworld Zine and is part of both the Her Campus InfluenceHER Collective and Campus Trendsetters. Her writing has been published across several digital platforms, and she holds certifications as a Certified Content Creator, Search Engine Optimization I & II, and Social Media Marketing I & II. Jaiden is currently a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, triple-majoring in Marketing, Public Relations, and Journalism with a minor in Communications.

When she’s not writing articles or editing for her chapter, Jaiden is working on her debut novel. She enjoys rewatching early 2000s rom-coms or diving into her latest hockey romance novel obsession. She’s passionate about magazine media, digital storytelling, and building community through content. Her dream job? Working behind the scenes for a magazine.