Taylor Swift: ‘Everyone should be able to live out their love story’
The 'You Need to Calm Down' singer promises to "always advocate" for LGBTQ equality as she receives the Attitude Icon Award, supported by Jaguar.
By Will Stroude
Taylor Swift has spoken out in support of LGBTQ+ love in her acceptance speech for her 2020 Attitude Icon Award, supported by Jaguar.
The ‘Cardigan’ singer, who appeared via video at the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar on Tuesday 1 December, promised to “always advocate” for LGBTQ rights.
After being presented the award by her friend Todrick Hall, Taylor said: “I’m really, really grateful for this, this is so amazing. I want to say thank you to anyone who had a hand in deciding that I should deserve this.
Taylor Swift is the recipient of the Attitude Icon Award, supported by Jaguar
“Mostly I want to say thank you to the fans for giving me a platform to make music and to be vocal about the things I think are right and wrong.”
Swift went on: “I just believe very firmly that everyone should be able to live out their love story without fear of discrimination.
“The way for that to happen is for us to continue to keep pushing governments to put protections in place for members of the LGBTQ community. And I promise to always advocate for that.
“I’m so grateful for this amazing award. Thank you so, so, so, so, so, so much.”
As well as for her countless global number one singles and albums and Grammys galore, Taylor is an icon to us for indeed always speaking out in support of LGBTQ+ rights with passion and style.
Most notably, in her 2019 song ‘You Need To Calm Down’, in which she addresses homophobic trolls; the accompanying video features cameos from an array of LGBTQ+ stars including Laverne Cox, Hayley Kiyoko, Adam Rippon, Queer Eye‘s The Fab Five and the video’s co-producer, Todrick.
Another standout moment was in this year’s 2020 documentary film Miss Americana, in which Taylor explains why she plans to post on social media against Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn and Trump.
“If I get bad press for saying, don’t put a homophobic racist in office, then I get bad press for that,” she says. “I really don’t care. I think it is so frilly and spineless of me to stand on stage and be like ‘Happy Pride month, you guys’, and then not say this, when someone is literally coming for their neck.”
There were 65,000 voter registrations in the 24-hour period following the post in question; Taylor followed this with a $113,000 donation to fight anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Tennessee.
Like we said, icon.
Watch the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar on YouTube now.
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