Mark of Cain Guitarist Josie Scott Announces She Is a Trans Woman
Josie Scott, the guitarist and vocalist for the Australian heavy metal band The Mark of Cain, has publicly come out as a trans woman in a moving statement shared with fans. The 63-year-old musician, who has performed with her brother Kim for four decades, revealed her identity in a post on the band's social media channels, expressing both the challenges and liberation of this personal journey.
A Lifelong Struggle with Gender Identity
In her statement, Scott disclosed that she has grappled with gender dysphoria since childhood, often feeling alienated and unable to live authentically. She wrote that for years, she assumed she would simply endure these feelings, leaving clues about her true self in her songs and journals for her family to discover later. This internal conflict, she explained, has deeply influenced the band's music, including their 1995 album Ill at Ease, which subtly touched on her struggles despite attempts to conceal them.
Scott noted that The Mark of Cain was frequently perceived as a masculine, testosterone-driven band, which she described as acting as a "beard" for her identity. Much of what fans interpreted as masculine energy, she revealed, stemmed from her internal rage and dissatisfaction with being unable to live as her true self.
The Turning Point Towards Authenticity
The decision to come out was catalyzed by Scott's recovery from long Covid in 2022, which prompted her to reflect on whether she could face the end of her life without regrets. She realised that she would always regret not having the courage to live authentically. Seeing younger trans people embrace their identities freely, with less societal stigma than in her youth, inspired her to take this step in what she calls her "autumn years."
"It's been liberating to finally live as myself albeit challenging at the same time, but the happiness I feel outweighs any obstacles I've faced so far," Scott wrote. She expressed hope that the band's fans, many of whom have felt alienation or otherness themselves, would understand and support her announcement.
Continuity in Music and Legacy
Scott assured fans that her gender identity will not impact the band's future. "We'll continue to write, record and perform hard heavy music and I may look a little more androgynous but everything else remains the same," she stated. The Mark of Cain, formed in Adelaide in 1984, has a storied career, with their debut album Battlesick released in 1989 to critical acclaim and later distributed in the US by Henry Rollins. The band was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
The response from fans and peers has been overwhelmingly positive. Hundreds of supportive messages flooded social media, with one fan noting that Ill at Ease helped them during their own coming-out journey. Punk band Frenzal Rhomb hailed Scott as an "absolute fucken legend," while others praised her courage in being true to herself.
