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Taylor Swift performing during her ‘Eras Tour’ stop Friday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
CNN
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Taylor Swift kicked off the Chicago leg of her “Eras Tour” on Friday night with a powerful Pride month message in support of the LGBTQ community.
“I’m looking back tonight and I see so many amazing people living authentically and beautifully,” Swift said at Chicago’s Soldier Field, adding that “this is a safe space for you, this is a celebratory space for you.” .
Swift went on to tell the audience how “proud” she is when she gets to sing her equality anthem, “You Need To Calm Down,” with them “with such solidarity, with such mutual support, with such uplifting and beautiful acceptance.” and peace and security.”
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Taylor Swift in the ‘You Need to Calm Down’ music video in 2019.
“We can’t talk about Pride without talking about pain,” he said, turning from his community celebration to the realities of the current political climate. He cited what he called “recent harmful legislation that has put people in the LGBTQ and queer community at risk.”
“It’s painful for everyone,” he said, adding that he tries to inform his supporters when key primaries and midterm elections are taking place in an effort to encourage them to vote.
The “Midnights” singer began speaking out about her political beliefs in 2018 when she endorsed Tennessee Democrats Phil Bredesen and Jim Cooper, who were running for the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively.
One of her driving factors, she said at the time in a message posted to her verified Instagram page, was because she believes “in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG.” .
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(From left) Shayna Weachter, Cecelia Zschunke, Riley O’Brien and Rayana Weachter scream as Taylor Swift’s performance begins, which they are listening to from the parking lot outside Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May.
“We can support all we want during Pride month, but if we’re not looking into these elected officials, are they advocates? They are allies? Are they protectors of equality? Do I want to vote for them? she said Friday.
Concluding her speech, Swift told the audience that she loves them and wished everyone a “happy pride month.”
As Swift celebrated with her Chicago audience, hundreds of ticketless Swifties showed their support for the meeting outside Soldier Field on Saturday night to sing along with the show.
The gathering has become a pattern throughout several stops on the “Eras Tour,” beginning in May when thousands of ticketless Swifties flocked to sing and dance outside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Field.
