Award-winning singer, actress, and global icon Barbra Streisand has a message for LGBTQ people and allies: vote.
Streisand, a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community, recorded a message for GLAAD that will be sent to the LGBTQ advocacy organization’s members, urging them to vote in Tuesday’s critical midterm elections.
“Tuesday is a critical election for LGBTQ people and all marginalized communities,” Streisand says. “And I’m working with GLAAD to help ensure the largest turnout ever of LGBTQ and ally voters in a midterm election.
“Tomorrow, I hope you will join me at the polls to send a strong message that America is better when we stand together,” she concludes. “Go to GLAAD.org/vote to get information about how to vote in your state, and let’s make history together.”
Streisand’s pre-recorded call, which will be made to GLAAD members and allies on Monday evening and throughout the day on Tuesday, comes as most mainstream LGBTQ groups are in the midst of various campaigns designed to turn out the vote and elect pro-LGBTQ politicians to various offices throughout the country.
Many LGBTQ groups have dubbed the upcoming election as crucial to the fate of LGBTQ rights, pointing to the Trump administration’s efforts to ban transgender people from the military, deny LGBTQ people legal protections by defining “sex” and “gender” as fixed and binary, and supporting efforts to pass religious exemption laws that would condone anti-LGBTQ discrimination, among other actions.
Streisand is no stranger to the political arena, having become known for her support of liberal causes and Democratic politicians over the years.
Earlier this month, Streisand released her latest album, “Walls,” featuring original songs that incorporate some of her political views into the lyrics, particularly the single “Don’t Lie to Me.” Appearing on Real Time with Bill Maheron Friday, Streisand revealed to Maher that the album was motivated by sadness and anger about the current political atmosphere and particularly President Trump’s dishonesty, lack of civility, and his machinations in office.
“I couldn’t sleep nights,” Streisand said of her unrest over Trump and the direction she feels he’s taking the country. “…There’s no transparency. … Why is he above the law? Why is he abusing this power he has? … Why do the other Republicans let him get away with it?”
Listen to Streisand’s get-out-the-vote recording below:
State has 10 days to ban transgender athletes from girls’ teams or risk losing federal education funding, under a Title IX ultimatum from the Education Department.
The Trump administration has issued an ultimatum to the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation, demanding they ban transgender athletes from competing on girls' sports teams.
In a June 25 announcement, the U.S. Department of Education said California’s policy allowing transgender girls to compete on girls' teams violates Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational institutions.
The department also proposed a resolution requiring California to bar transgender athletes from girls' sports teams and revoke any records, titles, or awards they’ve received. It further calls on the state to send personalized apology letters to female athletes who were denied honors or recognition after being displaced by a transgender competitor.
University agrees to strip transgender swimmer's records and ban trans athletes from women's sports to comply with Trump administration's interpretation of Title IX.
The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to retroactively strip Lia Thomas -- a transgender woman and former UPenn swimmer -- of her records and titles as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Education.
The Education Department had threatened to withhold $175 million in federal funds from the university as punishment for allowing Thomas to compete as a woman in 2022.
Since taking office, the department -- complying with a Trump executive order stating that the United States only recognizes two sexes, based on biological characteristics at birth -- has launched multiple inquiries into schools that have allegedly allowed transgender athletes to compete in female-designated sports.
A Democratic-led coalition has written a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding access to Andry José Hernández Romero, a gay Venezuelan national who was in the process of seeking asylum when he was forcibly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned at a controversial maximum-security prison in that country.
Leading the charge on the letter are U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), along with U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), and Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.).
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