Tag Archives: LGBTQ ally

Katy Perry Opens Up About Accepting Her Sexuality

The singer, who shot to fame with the 2008 anthem I Kissed a Girl, spoke about her sexuality and the Human Rights Campaign Gala in LA last night, where she received the National Equality Award for her work as an LGBTQ ally.

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During her speech, she gave a powerful account of her past struggles with her sexuality.

Perry told the audience that as a young person she would “pray the gay away” at Christian conversion camps.

My first words were Momma and Poppa, God and Satan. Right and wrong were taught to me on felt boards … When I was growing up, homosexuality was synonymous with the word abomination.”

She told the audience:

I’m just a singer-songwriter, honestly. I speak my truths and I paint my fantasies into these little, bite-size pop songs. For instance, ‘I kissed a girl and I liked it.’ Truth be told, A) I did more than that, but B) How was I going to reconcile that with a gospel-singing girl raised in youth groups that were pro-conversion camps?

What I did know is that I was curious, and even then I knew sexuality wasn’t as black and white as this dress. And, honestly, I haven’t always gotten it right, but in 2008, when that song came out, I knew that I started a conversation that a lot of the world seemed curious enough to sing along, too.”

Perry has promised that she’ll be bringing fans even more politically-infused “purposeful pop” in the near future.

Proud Mother Been Holding The Same Sign At Pride For Over 30 Years: “I Adore My Lesbian Daughters. Keep them Safe”

30 years, LGBTQ ally Frances Goldin has been attending New York Pridewith a sign that reads: “I adore my lesbian daughters. Keep them safe.”

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She’s been doing it since her two daughters came out shortly after New York’s first pride parade in 1970.

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Standing at the same spot every year (the corner of 18th and 5th Avenue), in recent years she has taken her wheelchair to take a break if it gets too hot.

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Talking to BuzzFeed, Francis explined that she had been attending New York’s pride parade “since the beginning”, and even attends on her own when her daughters can’t make it.

Since the beginning of the parade, I’ve been going and waving my sign. It sort of hit a nerve with people, particularly those whose parents rejected them. The response to the sign is always so great, it urges me to keep going.”

The original sign which simply read, “I adore my lesbian daughters” had “keep them safe”, was added to in 1993, when Francis attended a historic LGBT march in Washington DC.

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The back of the sign reads, “a proud parent of lesbians”.

Francis’ daughters added that when young people see the sign and ask her for support, she often writes to their parents and encourages them to support their kids.

I think I changed a few people’s minds and I’m glad about that. Everyone should support their gay and lesbian children, they’re missing a lot in life if they don’t.”