Taylor Swift Breaks Her Silence By Posting Powerful Message In Support Of Democrats

8 October 2018, 11:35

Taylor Swift has spoken about her political opinions for the first time in a powerful Instagram post where she backs two Democrat candidates for the upcoming US mid-term elections.

The 'Shake It Off' singer has been reluctant to voice her political views in the past, which she admits in the message.

She says that events "in my life and in the world in the past two years" have now changed her position on this.

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Taylor writes that she's always voted for "which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country" and stands for "ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love."

Despite having voted for women "in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office", Taylor says that she can't support Marsha Blackburn - the female Republican candidate running in her state of Tennessee.

View this post on Instagram

I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! 🗳😃🌈

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

Instead, Taylor offered her support to Democrats Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives

The star also publicly criticised "systemic racism... towards people of color" in America, stressed the importance of fighting for LGBTQ rights and "that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG."

She encouraged American fans to research the candidates running in their state and to register to vote for the mid-term elections, which are taking place on November 6th.

Taylor posted the message after concluding the US leg of her Reputation Stadium Tour in Arlington, Texas.