Lizzo calls out “complicit silence” as more states consider laws singling out trans community
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on March 8, 2023
Lizzo is urging her followers to wake up and become more informed about the laws singling out the transgender community.
In a Twitter thread posted Wednesday, the singer called out the “complicit silence and apathetic participation” that comes when people aren’t fully aware of the motives and beliefs of the people in power.
Her conversation began with the observation, “Transphobia is lookin real rooted in racism right about now…”
Lizzo further expanded on her observation by writing, “I’ve never heard a person say why they’re racist… Or fatphobic.. I’ve never heard a reason why someone is transphobic.. I think if we knew ‘why’ these people felt this way there would way less support for these ideals.”
“Because the ‘why’ is more insidious than we realize,” she expressed.
Lizzo then tweeted in a follow-up post, “Don’t get it twisted— I don’t care why people are bigoted. That’s a waste of my imagination.”
“I feel like there’s a lot of complicit silence and apathetic participation going on that wouldn’t fly if people knew more,” she closed.
This commentary comes shortly after Tennessee became the first state to adopt a law restricting drag performances in public spaces. The state’s governor also signed a law that banned gender affirming care for minors.
Several similar bills have been recently introduced against drag shows in states like Florida, Arizona, Texas and others.
Meanwhile, in addition to Tennessee, seven other states have banned gender-affirming health care for those under 18: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, South Dakota and Utah.
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