Taylor Swift thinks her senator needs her advice.
The pop superstar urged Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander in an open letter to “please, please” consider voting for the Equality Act and defending LGBT rights.
Coinciding with the first day of Pride Month, Swift released the letter Saturday, calling on Alexander, her home state’s senator, to “please, please think about the lives you could change for the better if you were to vote for the Equality Act in the Senate and prohibit this harsh and unfair discrimination.”
#lettertomysenator https://t.co/EKYMXZw5U9 pic.twitter.com/Ym0mGeOHgc
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 1, 2019
“To vote against this bill would be to vote against the wishes of most Tennessean and Americans,” Swift wrote, noting a recent study showing that laws protecting against LGBT discrimination are supported by more than 64 percent of the people of Tennessee.
Taylor Swift updates her social media profile image to display all rainbow colors and issues letter to senator on how strongly she feels that the Equality Act should be passed. ?
Today also happens to be the start of #PrideMonth ?️? pic.twitter.com/Yl16sautm5
— Pop Sirens ? (@PopSirens) June 1, 2019
The 29-year-old multi-Grammy winner slammed President Trump for his stand on the issue, condemning his criticism of the Equality Act as sending an “incredibly harmful message” to “same-sex, nonbinary or transgender” families.
“I personally reject the President’s stance that his administration, ‘supports equal treatment of all,’ but that the Equality Act, ‘in its current form is filled with poison pills that threaten to undermine parental and conscience rights,’” Swift wrote, referring to a statement by a senior administration official following the bill’s passage in the House last month.
“No. One cannot take the position that one supports a community, while condemning it in the next breath as going against ‘conscience’ or ‘parental rights,’” Swift continued.
“That statement implies that there is something morally wrong with being anything other than heterosexual and cisgender, which is an incredibly harmful message to send to a nation full of healthy and loving families with same-sex, nonbinary or transgender parents, sons or daughters,” she added.
Swift also called on the Senate to support the Equality Act, launching a petition that has already garnered over 35,000 signatures in its first few hours.
“While there’s no information yet as to when the Equality Act will go before the Senate for a vote, we do know this: Politicians need votes to stay in office. Votes come from the people. Pressure from massive amounts of people is a major way to push politicians towards positive change,” Swift wrote in launching the petition.
“Our country’s lack of protection for its own citizens ensures that LGBTQ people must live in fear that their lives could be turned upside down by an employer or landlord who is homophobic or transphobic. The fact that, legally, some people are completely at the mercy of the hatred and bigotry of others is disgusting and unacceptable,” she added, urging supporters to sign the petition.
According to The Hill:
Swift previously avoided taking political positions but she broke her silence last year by endorsing former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) in the state’s Senate race over then-Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R), who ended up winning the seat. The singer included support for LGBT rights among her reasons for the endorsement.
The “Bad Blood” singer has been a vocal proponent for LGBT community and donated $113,000 to an advocacy group working against the “Slate of Hate” in her state legislature.
Eight Republicans joined every House Democrat in voting for the Equality Act in a 236-173 vote last month. The legislation seeks to expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act in order to ban discrimination in housing, employment and other areas.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had already declared that ending discrimination against the LGBTQ community was a top priority for Democrats in the current session.
In arguing against the bill in April, Rep. Matt Gaetz pointed out its illogical problems, noting that although he is supportive of LGBTQ rights, if the bill passed, Trump could potentially declare himself the nation’s “first female president.”
“I very much want to support the legislation but I can’t because the legislation would only nominally protect certain individuals while causing tremendous harm to others,” the Florida Republican said, noting that existing civil rights legislation would be modified to ban discrimination against one particular group.
Swift’s efforts at the start of Pride Month earned her plenty of applause from the LGBT community and its supporters. many others, however, wished she would stick to her singing and stay in her own lane.
Hey, Taylor. Do your job. Your job is to entertain, not be a politician.
— Nat Swanson (@NattyLinds01) June 1, 2019
Yeah just like when she begged Tennesseans to vote for Phil Bredesen.. We elected Marsha Blackburn by over 10 point in 2018.
— Anthony Todt (@AnthonyTodt) June 1, 2019
Why do we care what she says?
— Cynthia Ann (@xstitchyn426) June 1, 2019
When you are clueless and think you are doing good for a worthy cause, but causing untold damage in the future^^
Without the right to property, you have no rights in the long run and this is an act that undermines the basic principle behind #IndividualRights.
— Alex Smith (@CobdenSmith) June 1, 2019
She does know he supports the LGBT community, right? And that if you read the act it’s a political sham w/ a catchy virtue signaling title that pushes a bunch of hidden unrelated issues…Trojan horse style.
No one cares, just say equality in the title & that’s all that matters.
— Tim (@WrightTimothyj) June 1, 2019
Its weird she suppourts Democrats. The same democrats like Hillary Clinton that took and still taking donations from countries over seas that hang gays and throw them off roof tops for being gay. The president didn’t accept one cent from those countries during the election
— Darrin (@Darrinlynnroac1) June 1, 2019
Speaking out against the first president ever to run on a pro-LGBT campaign, about not doing enough for the LGBT community…it’s never enough, is it?
— Jon Thomas (@PanOfSeamen) June 1, 2019
A celebrity wrote a letter. Your requirements for being “proud” aren’t particularly lofty. I will read the bill, while acknowledging a suspicion that it is pandering to a voting block.
— Stan Davis (@SD8NSC) June 1, 2019
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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