Taylor Swift is currently on her The Eras Tour in the United States. The singer was at her Chicago concert on Saturday night, where she wished her fans a “happy pride” as it’s the start of the pride month. She also went on to urge her fans to vote and hold lawmakers accountable in the voting booth.
She said that her concerts offer a “safe, celebratory space” for those who are living “authentically and beautifully,” and she added that she loves hearing the fans yell the words to You Need to Calm Down. “We can’t talk about Pride month without talking about pain,” she remarked. There are several detrimental laws in effect right now and in recent years that put members of the LGBTQ and queer communities in danger.
Swift claimed that’s the reason she “always” posts the dates of the midterm elections in an effort to inspire people to cast ballots in important primaries. “We can support as much as we want during Pride Month, but if we’re not doing our research on these elected officials, are they actually advocates? Are they allies? Are they protectors of equality? Do I want to vote for them,” Taylor asked.
There has been a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the US, the past year. These bills have restricted transgender protections, made it more difficult to access gender-affirming medical treatment, and suppressed conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity. According to the index, more than 500 anti-LGBTQ items of legislation have been proposed in 46 states this year.
