Lady Gaga, Laverne Cox, Jennifer Lawrence Sign Letter Against Texas Bathroom Bill
Lady Gaga, Laverne Cox, Jennifer Lawrence and Alicia Keys are among 140 celebrities to sign a letter protesting a proposed “bathroom bill” in Texas. The letter claims the proposed bill would diminish the rights of members of the LGBTQ community.
Addressed to “Texas Leaders,” the letter comes from the organization TX Together. “Texas Senate Bill 6 and House Bill 1362 would criminalize and restrict the simple act of a transgender person using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity – a denial of basic human dignity.”
Among the other signees are Sting, Ariana Grande, Jimmy Kimmel, Cyndi Lauper, Against Me!, Janelle Monáe, Carrie Brownstein, Tegan and Sara, Amy Poehler, Amy Schumer, Britney Spears, Kesha, Wilco and Emma Stone.
The letter states that along with the bathroom bill, the Texas legislature is considering laws that would force teachers to out LGBTQ students to their parents, strip cities of nondiscrimination protections, undermine marriage equality and legalize discrimination on campuses and in public life.
“It is up to you whether these bills will become law and we are watching,” the letter reads. “It is up to us to commit to doing everything within our power to make sure all of our fans, crews and fellow artists feel safe and welcome wherever we go.”
While the Texas bathroom bill has not yet received a preliminary vote, it has already drawn criticism from LGBTQ advocacy groups and others. For instance, the NFL, after hosting the Super Bowl in Houston this year, suggested they would not consider Texas for future championship games if the bill becomes law.
The reaction to the Texas bill mirrors the response to North Carolina’s infamous HB2, which sparked a massive backlash among musicians and sports leagues. Most recently, the NCAA threatened to disallow North Carolina from hosting any championship events through 2022 after the state’s reluctance to repeal HB2.