While Taylor Swift is known as an LGBT ally, the pop star put money where her mouth is by donating US$113,000 to support the Tennessee Equality Project.
The Tennessee Equality Project, a Nashville-based LGBT rights advocacy group, is currently battling the “Slate of Hate,” six anti-LGBT bills being considered at the state legislature
Taylor Swift’s contribution to the cause
Swift made the monetary contribution to LGBT rights advocacy together with a handwritten note. Her donation of US$113,000 corresponds to the pop star’s love for the number 13.
Aside from the donation, Swift gave a handwritten note that Chris Sanders, the group’s director, posted a picture online on Monday.
“I’m so inspired by the work you do, specifically in organizing the recent petition of Tennessee faith leaders standing up against the ‘slate of hate’ in our state legislature,” Swift wrote.
She added: “I’m so grateful that they’re giving all people a place to worship.”
The note was written on Swift’s stationary, which had her name at the top, plus the words: “Made in 1989” and “Loves Cats.”
Tennessee Equality Project’s protection of LGBT rights
In response to the donation, Sanders said, “Tennessee Equality Project is honored and grateful to reveal Taylor Swift has made a donation of $113,000 to support our efforts at this critical moment.”
“The impact will be that her fans will certainly pay attention what’s going in the state legislature,” he noted.
Swift was referencing the work done by the Tennessee Equality Project to bring in focus a hundred Tennessee religious leaders protesting the anti-LGBT bills.
These bills– dubbed the “Slate of Hate”– range from protection of private adoption agencies that discriminate based on religious views to anti-transgender bathroom discrimination.
Talking to The Guardian, Sanders said that they gathered the faith leaders to mobilize against the bills because “faith language is often tied with political language” in Tennessee.
Taylor Swift: An ally of the LGBT community
While not vocal with her politics, Swift has always acted favorably for the LGBT community.
At the Chicago’s Soldier Field at the start of Pride Month last year, Swift told members of the LGBT community that haven’t come out yet that “it’s even more brave to be honest about your feelings and who you love.”
“I want to send my love and respect out to everybody who in their journey hasn’t yet felt comfortable enough to come out, and may you do that in your own time,” she said.
In the run up to the 2018 elections, she endorsed two Democratic candidates for Congress that drew both praise and criticism.
However, she did list in “30 things I learned before I turned 30” she contributed to Elle Magazine in March that she finds her voice in terms of politics.
“I realized that it actually is my responsibility to use my influence against that disgusting rhetoric,” Swift wrote.