LGBTQ+ Representation in Media Presentation for IU Social Movements Course
Presentation Script
Written by Emily Mellentine and Virginia Foust
Our focus is on the rhetoric of our agents, Taylor Swift and Laith Ashley, using their platforms to promote the LGBTQ+ social movement through communication efforts toward equality, inclusivity, and representation. We are both a part of the LGBTQ+ community, so this is an ongoing social movement we are both passionate about.
I want to mention I’m going to be using the word “queer” as an umbrella term for LGBTQ+ because it’s a little bit of a mouthful.
So we will start with Taylor Swift’s Rhetoric, how she used her song and music video “you need to calm down,” released in 2019, to raise money for GLAAD, share her platform with a very inclusive and diverse cast, and gain support for the Equality Act to be passed.
In 2019 at the beginning of pride month Taylor “posted a letter to her Instagram pleading with her Senator to support the Equality Act, which is “a piece of legislation that would create federal protections for LGBTQ Americans against discrimination on the basis of “sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity,” specifically in areas including housing, employment, access to public accommodations (restaurants, bathrooms, etc.) and more.
The music video features many Queer + icons such as RuPaul and Drag Queens that have been on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Adam Lambert, the first openly gay artist to top the Billboard charts, cast members from Queer Eye, and Lesbian singer Haley Kiyoko. The video really highlights such a large group of people who have only recently begun to be represented in media within the last decade.
The video ends with a call to sign her petition for the equality act, which has been passed through the House of Representatives twice, but has not been passed through the Senate. President Biden called on Congress to pass the Equality Act during his State of the Union address Tuesday night.
While we’ve taken huge strides in the last decade for LGBTQ+ identities and expressions to be more socially acceptable, we are still quite far from being equal under the law, which is why it is so important for people with these huge platforms to bring attention to this.
With the lyric “cause shade never made anybody less gay” speaks to how no matter how much people in our society or our government try to shut down or misrepresent the LGBTQ+ community, we are still going to be here gay as ever and continue to fight for equality, inclusivity, and representation.
Taylor's upcoming tour is also packed with guest Queer artists like Beabadoobee, girl in Red, and Phoebe Bridgers.
Now we will be talking about some nonverbal communication from Taylor
Taylor and Laith have both worked with GLAAD, which is the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation organization. Gladd is a media advocacy organization that increases media accountability and community engagement that ensures authentic LGBTQ stories are seen, heard, and actualized.
This is a great organization to support as they majorly increase Queer representation in the media.
(GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said, “In a time of political and cultural division, Taylor creates music that unites and calls on her massive fan following to speak up and call for change"
Our book mentions, “Songs call on audiences to act in some way: sing, march, demonstrate, picket, vote, organize, strike, talk, disrupt, agitate, and run away.”
It’s evident that this song caused its audience to act, as GLAAD saw a massive surge in donations following Taylor’s music video for You Need to Calm Down.
Laith joined AT&T’s “Live Proud” campaign that raised money for GLAAD and is a great example of a way that Laith has been a part of gaining visibility for the transgender community.
The annual GLAAD media awards will be held next month on March 30, with top awards being presented to Jeremy Pope, Christina Aguilera, and Bad Bunny for their impact on and support of LGBTQ+ visibility in media.
We wanted to put some ways you can directly support and/or get involved with local LGBTQ+ organizations to be a part of this ongoing social movement.
First off, we have Indy Pride, they have a great list of resources on their website, and their Instagram and Twitter are great to follow for updates, such as the other day they announced the IndyPride Rainbow 5k happening in May. Besides the big parade and pride fest they have in the summer, there are tons of smaller events that go on during pride month, and if you’ve never been, I highly recommend going to meet new people, explore, and engage in the community.
Gender Nexus is an amazing Indiana organization that helps gender-diverse people overcome social and systemic barriers through education, community, and direct support. This is a great resource if you or anyone you know could benefit.
When artists and entertainers use their platform to work with organizations to promote social change, amazing things can happen, as we have seen here.