Taylor Swift is among the music stars who kicked off Pride Month this past weekend with messages of support.
“You know, a lot of my songs are about love and I just feel like who you love, how you identify – you should be able to live your life the way you want to live your life,” she said on stage at the iHeartRadio Wango Tango. “You should have the same exact rights as everybody else.”
Swift reminded the crowd of a petition she started in support of the Equality Act which is set to go before the U.S. Senate. It provides protections against discrimination of LGBT people in employment, housing, education and public services.
“If you sign it, it would really mean a lot to me,” said Swift, "because I think we need to stick up for each other, we need to stand together. Don't you?”
Swift's "ME!" collaborator Brendon Urie appeared on the Wango Tango stage wearing a Pride-themed T-shirt.
Earlier, the pop star shared on Instagram an open letter to a Tennessee senator urging him to support the legislation.
“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,” Swift explained in a caption. “The fact that, legally, some people are completely at the mercy of the hatred and bigotry of others is disgusting and unacceptable.”
Mariah Carey celebrated the start of Pride with a tweet that read: “Happy Pride Month!!!! Love always to all my friends in the LGBTQ+ community!” She included a link to her Pride-themed merchandise and included the hashtag “#LoveIsLove.”
Katy Perry took to social media to say “Happy Pride Month, my angels! Let us never stop lifting each other up. I see you, and I love you.” She included heart emojis in the rainbow colours, as did Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus. “Happy Pride Month,” he wrote. “Always trying to be a better ally and advocate. Much love.”
Dua Lipa combined hearts and rainbow flags in a tweet that read: “HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! LIVE LIFE BY YOUR OWN RULES, LOVE HARDER THAN EVER AND BE YOUR MOST UNAPOLOGETIC SELF. WAVE THAT FLAG EVERY DAMN DAY OF THE YEAR.”
Camila Cabello shared an image of a rainbow-coloured test-pattern with the words “keep on kissing.” She shared: “HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! love is the most beautiful and natural thing in the world! you should be free to kiss and love whoever you want without judgement! It’s been years and years of BS, but we are all just humans who love other humans. this month means celebrating moving forward!!!”
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH! love is the most beautiful and natural thing in the world! you should be free to kiss and love whoever you want without judgement! It’s been years and years of BS, but we are all just humans who love other humans. this month means celebrating moving forward!!! pic.twitter.com/ja8wHu2Ryh
— camila (@Camila_Cabello) June 3, 2019
Singer Melissa Etheridge tweeted: “Happy #PRIDE month! Be Strong. Speak True. Choose only love.”
Early Monday, Madonna announced she will perform at Pride Island in New York City on June 30.