–Ryan Murphy, creator of Glee and American Horror Story, in a tweet announcing that profits from Pose, his new show set in 1980s New York’s queer ballroom culture, will directly benefit LGBTQ charities.
“Every day for the next 14 days I will highlight a group I’m supporting, and encourage you to do the same!” he added, announcing that the first group will be The Sylvia Rivera Law Project, named for Sylvia Rivera, one of the original Stonewall protesters and an LGBTQ rights icon. Murphy said that SRLP “works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence.”
Explaining his decision to Variety, Murphy said that we’ve “entered this area of television as advocacy.”
“I’ve seen the difference you can make in people’s lives by showing up for them, caring for them, and helping them in any way that you can,” he added.
He noted that shooting Pose, which features a record number of transgender actors and crew members, opened his eyes to the experiences of transgender people.
“The thing that struck me in talking to so many of them, was how much they’ve struggled, how under attack they feel, how many of them find it difficult getting healthcare, and finding jobs,” Murphy said. “I just decided I need to do more than just making a show for this community. I want to reach out and help this community.”
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