GLAAD – the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation – experienced a massive surge in donations following the premiere of Taylor Swift’s music video for You Need to Calm Down.
The clip followed the star and her best Judy’s in a glamorous, Pride-esque trailer park as an anti-LGBTQ protest occurs around them. The video ended with Taylor urging fans to sign her petition for Senate support of the Equality Act on change.org.
RuPaul also appeared alongside former contestants from his Emmy Award winning series, Drag Race, during in a scene in which they impersonate some of the most iconic pop queens such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Adele and Katy.
Despite receiving criticism from various queer people online and in mainstream media for “appropriating” LGBTQ culture and using it to her advantage, the video actually increased donations for the LGBTQ advocacy group.
Anthony Romos, GLAAD’s director of talent engagement, revealed in a statement: “We saw a large spike in individual donations start to come in quickly after the release of her new single, many of which were made in the amount of $13.”
He added: “GLAAD is really happy to have her on our side. Any amount that her fans donate is obviously helpful for us.”
The American singer-songwriter first showed her support for the LGBTQ community earlier this year when she donated $113,000 to an LGBTQ charity in her home state of Tennessee.
Writing a letter to the group she said: “Dear Chris, I’m writing you to say that 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.”
“Please convey my heartfelt thanks to them and accept this donation to support the work you and those leaders are doing. I’m so grateful that they’re giving all people a place to worship. Sincerely, Taylor Swift.”
Last month, she also sent a letter to Republican senator Lamar Alexander, urging him to support the Equality Act.
In the letter, she wrote: “As you know, the House just passed the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in the workplace, in their homes and in schools. For American citizens to be denied jobs or housing based on who they love or how they identify, in my opinion is un-American and cruel.”
Taylor also used the letter to hit out at President Tr*mp, who for the first time since becoming president voiced support for Pride Month, despite his administration imposing policies that make LGBTQ lives harder.
“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 determine parental and conscience rights,’” she wrote.
“That statement implies that there is something morally wrong with you being anything other than heterosexual or cisgender, which is an incredibly harmful letter to send to a nation full of healthy and loving families with same-sex, non-binary or transgender parents, sons or daughters.”
