Presenting “Gay Christmas,” a powerful new holiday song by singer-songwriter Tom Goss

The very talented (and very cute!) Tom Goss wrote this song, Gay Christmas, last week while thinking about his decision not to go home for Christmas this year.

The song comes out as millions of people head home for the holidays and was inspired by the pain many LGBT people feel while struggling to be accepted by their families and childhood friends.

“Too many of us have had to learn to accept less from our families when it comes to fully embracing us for who we are,” says Tom, who hails from Wisconsin but now lives in Los Angeles with his husband. “It’s become even worse since the election, due to the sense of betrayal we felt when we learned how family and friends voted. Yet we are expected to be the ones to forgive, to ‘move on’ and pretend everything is okay, even as the current administration and GOP keep supporting anti-gay politicians and policies.”

In the song, the narrator refuses to accept less by going home and chooses instead to spend Christmas in a better place.

In the music video, directed by Nathaniël Siri, the camera follows five people who feel alienated from the Christmas spirit, but who redeem the day by gathering for a “Friendsmas” picnic.

Gay Christmas is available on iTunes, Spotify, and CD Baby.