History of Laura Jane Grace in Timeline

Laura Jane Grace is an influential American musician, most prominently known as the founder and lead singer of the punk rock band Against Me!. She also fronts the band Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers and has released solo work, including the albums *Stay Alive* and *Hole in My Head*. Grace gained significant attention for publicly coming out as transgender in 2012, becoming one of the first openly transgender figures in the punk rock scene, using her platform to advocate for transgender rights and visibility.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1977: Formation of Crass

In 1977, the English art collective and punk rock band Crass was formed. Laura Jane Grace cites Crass as an example of politics and music, influencing her views on anarcho-punk and activism.

November 8, 1980: Laura Jane Grace Born

On November 8, 1980, Laura Jane Grace, originally named Thomas James Gabel, was born. She is now known as the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the punk rock band Against Me!.

Others born on this day/year

1994: Formation of The Adversaries

From 1994 to 1996, Laura Jane Grace played bass in a band called the Adversaries with Dustin Fridkin and a revolving cast of drummers.

1995: Arrest at the Beach

In 1995, at the age of 14, Laura Jane Grace was arrested at the beach on Independence Day for allegedly blocking traffic on the boardwalk. She was charged with resisting arrest and battery, placed under house arrest, and required to do community service, which she says politicized her.

December 1996: First Against Me! Demo Tape

In December 1996, after the ending of Common Affliction, Laura Jane Grace recorded the first Against Me! demo tape.

1997: Dropping out of High School and Forming Against Me!

In 1997, at age 17, Laura Jane Grace dropped out of high school and began writing songs, naming the musical project Against Me!.

2000: Bowman joins Against Me!

In 2000, Laura Jane Grace convinced Bowman to move to Gainesville and began teaching him how to play Against Me! songs on guitar.

2000: First Marriage

In 2000, Laura Jane Grace was married.

2002: Release of "Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose"

In 2002, Against Me! released their debut album, "Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose", through No Idea Records.

2003: Signing with Fat Wreck Chords and Release of "Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy"

In 2003, Against Me! signed with Fat Wreck Chords and released "Against Me! as the Eternal Cowboy".

2004: Divorce

In 2004, Laura Jane Grace's first marriage ended in divorce.

December 2005: Signing to Sire Records and Abandoning Feminine Expression

In December 2005, Against Me! signed to Sire Records. Following this, Laura Jane Grace swore off cross-dressing and other expressions of femininity, stating that she was male.

2005: Release of "Searching for a Former Clarity"

In 2005, Against Me! released "Searching for a Former Clarity" on Fat Wreck Chords, which sold over 65,000 copies and charted on the Billboard 200.

March 2006: Meeting Heather Hannoura

In March 2006, while touring with Alkaline Trio, Laura Jane Grace met visual artist Heather Hannoura.

2006: Becoming Vegan

In 2006, Laura Jane Grace became a vegan.

August 2007: Arrest in Tallahassee

In August 2007, Laura Jane Grace was arrested in Tallahassee, Florida, on battery charges following a confrontation at a coffee shop related to a defaced article about Against Me!.

December 2007: Marriage to Heather Hannoura

In December 2007, Laura Jane Grace married Heather Hannoura after a year-long engagement.

2007: Release of "New Wave" and Gender Dysphoria Reference in "The Ocean"

In 2007, Against Me! released their major-label album, "New Wave", which brought mainstream success. The song "The Ocean" directly referenced Laura Jane Grace's gender dysphoria.

October 2008: Release of "Heart Burns" EP

In October 2008, Laura Jane Grace released her solo EP, "Heart Burns", addressing the political and economic climate of the United States.

2008: Against Me! Joins Rock the Vote

In 2008, the Against Me! song "Stop!" was selected to be part of the Rock the Vote campaign, which aimed to encourage voting in the US presidential election.

2009: Birth of Daughter Evelyn

In 2009, Laura Jane Grace and Heather Hannoura's daughter, Evelyn, was born. Grace's dysphoria "started coming back really strong" around the time Hannoura became pregnant that February.

November 2010: Cancellation of Tour Dates and Leaving Sire/Warner

In November 2010, Against Me! cancelled a series of tour dates due to "a culmination of circumstances engulfing us", and left Sire/Warner.

2010: Release of White Crosses and Beginning to Write Transgender Dysphoria Blues

In 2010, Against Me! released "White Crosses", which became their most successful album, reaching no. 34 on the Billboard 200. By that September, Laura Jane Grace began taking week-long writing trips and started working on "Transgender Dysphoria Blues".

2010: Move to St. Augustine, Florida

In 2010, Laura Jane Grace, Heather Hannoura, and their daughter Evelyn moved to St. Augustine, Florida.

2011: Purchase and Conversion of Total Treble Studio

In 2011, Laura Jane Grace purchased an abandoned post office in Elkton, Florida, and converted it into a recording studio called Total Treble, launching an accompanying record label.

May 2012: Grace Comes Out as Transgender

In May 2012, Laura Jane Grace publicly came out as a transgender woman in an article published by Rolling Stone, announcing her plans to begin transitioning. She had informed her bandmates in February 2012 and chose the name Laura Jane Grace, with "Laura" being her mother's preferred name for her if she had been assigned female at birth, "Jane" chosen for its aesthetic appeal, and "Grace" being her mother's maiden name.

2012: Production Debut with Cheap Girls' Giant Orange

In 2012, Total Treble Studio recorded Cheap Girls' Giant Orange, marking Laura Jane Grace's first experience as a record producer.

2012: Grace Reveals Transition Plans

In her 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Laura Jane Grace revealed her plans to begin hormone replacement therapy and undergo electrolysis as part of her gender transition. She also expressed that she was considering gender-affirming surgery, though she was apprehensive about certain procedures, such as chondrolaryngoplasty and bottom surgery, stating her desire to live as a woman and undergo psychotherapy for a year before considering surgery.

2012: Revival Tour Performance

In spring 2012, Laura Jane Grace performed on the Revival Tour with Chuck Ragan and Cory Branan.

2013: Separation and Divorce from Heather Hannoura

In 2013, Laura Jane Grace and Heather Hannoura separated and then divorced.

2013: Closure of Total Treble Studio

In 2013, Total Treble Studio closed after being destroyed in a storm.

2013: Move to Chicago

Laura Jane Grace has lived in Chicago since 2013.

2015: Grace Discusses Gender-Affirming Surgery

In 2015, Laura Jane Grace shared her perspective on gender-affirming surgery, stating, "I think it's perfectly valid [for a trans person] to never undergo bottom surgery", highlighting the personal nature of gender affirmation choices.

2015: Working on memoir with alternate title

In 2015, Laura Jane Grace was working with a different publisher on her memoir, known under the working title "Kill Me Loudly" or "Killing Me Loudly".

2015: Writing "Mandatory Happiness" Column

In 2015, Laura Jane Grace wrote a column called "Mandatory Happiness" for the Vice Media publication Noisey.

2015: Emmy Nomination for True Trans Documentary

In 2015, the True Trans documentary, in which Laura Jane Grace participated and interviewed gender variant people, was nominated for an Emmy for New Approaches: Arts, Lifestyle, Culture.

May 2016: Grace Protests North Carolina Bathroom Bill

In May 2016, during an Against Me! show in Durham, North Carolina, Laura Jane Grace protested North Carolina's bathroom bill by setting her birth certificate on fire, declaring "Goodbye gender" as an act of protest.

November 15, 2016: Publication of "Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout"

On November 15, 2016, Laura Jane Grace's memoir "Tranny: Confessions Of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout", co-written with Dan Ozzi, was published.

2016: Formation of Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers

In 2016, Grace started Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers, a solo project in addition to her work with Against Me!.

July 2018: Announcement of Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers Album

In July 2018, it was announced that Laura Jane Grace would release an album in the fall of 2018 under the name "Laura Jane Grace & the Devouring Mothers" on Bloodshot Records.

December 2018: Grace Undergoes Facial Feminization Surgery

In December 2018, Laura Jane Grace underwent facial feminization surgery as a part of her gender transition.

2018: Release of "I Hate Chicago"

In 2018, Laura Jane Grace released the song "I Hate Chicago" that criticised many aspects of the city.

January 2019: Grace Confirms Facial Feminization Surgery

In January 2019, Laura Jane Grace confirmed that she underwent facial feminization surgery in December 2018 as part of her gender transition.

2020: Grace Plays at Sanders Fundraiser

In 2020, Laura Jane Grace performed at a fundraiser for Bernie Sanders's campaign for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

2020: Release of Stay Alive

In 2020, Laura Jane Grace released her debut solo studio album Stay Alive, recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released as a surprise album with no promotion.

October 2023: Release of Hole In My Head Single

In October 2023, Laura Jane Grace released the lead single "Hole In My Head", with the b-side "Dysphoria Hoodie".

December 2023: Marriage to Paris Campbell

In December 2023, Laura Jane Grace married comedian and content creator Paris Campbell, after meeting the month before.

2023: Recording and Release of "Give an Inch" EP

Towards the end of 2023, Laura Jane Grace recorded six songs with Matt Patton, Mikey Erg, and her wife Paris Campbell Grace. These songs were released as the EP "Give an Inch" by "Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals".

February 2024: Release of Hole In My Head Album

In February 2024, Laura Jane Grace released the album "Hole In My Head".

2024: Release of "Hole in My Head"

In 2024, Laura Jane Grace released "Hole in My Head".

March 7, 2025: Grace Performs on Sanders's "Fighting Oligarchy" Tour

On March 7, 2025, Laura Jane Grace performed on Bernie Sanders's “Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here“ tour. Her performance of the song "Your God (God's Dick)" sparked controversy, drawing criticism from right-wing media outlets for its perceived "anti-Christian" message. Grace defended the song as relevant to the issues of censorship and transphobia under President Donald Trump’s administration.

July 2025: Public Accusations by Paris Campbell Grace

In July 2025 on the eve of Laura Jane Grace’s first album with her wife Paris Campbell Grace being released, Paris Campbell Grace publicly accused her wife of emotional abuse and coercive control spanning the course of a year.