Chana Rothman’s Rainbow Train Debunks Gender Norms

Philly-by-way-of-Toronto artist Chana Rothman is debuting her children’s album Rainbow Train on Tuesday, May 12th. Rothman tapped into personal experiences and her son’s early experimentation with gender expression to create the collection of songs that focuses on gender freedom, gender expression, pride and love.

It’s a soundtrack for gender liberation, if you will, and it’s not just for kids. Rothman says she made the album as a guide for parents and teachers (I personally enjoyed “Gender Blender”) who want to understand how to break away from gender rules created by society. The album aims to give listeners an understanding of gender freedom and a positive definition of gender expression—especially timely given last week’s Bruce Jenner interview, which reached people who otherwise may not have been exposed to the transgender community.

“Today’s young people need songs that show them all the choices and possibilities that they are allowed to become,” says Rothman. “The more they can see beyond the ‘pink’ and ‘blue’ that gets pushed on them, the happier and more confident they will be. This goes for adults too.”

Using a variety of different sounds ranging from folk and pop to hip-hop and even disco, Rainbow Train should resonate with a variety of music lovers. Look out for it on iTunes and Google Play when it’s released on May 12th. You can pre-sample a handful of tracks below.