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selective focus photography of person wearing pink fleece Pussy Power cap raising right hand
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Culture > News

Taylor Swift Breaks Her Reputation For Staying Silent About Politics & Endorses Tennessee Democrats

Lauryn Higgins

Pop star phenom, Taylor Swift, made a rare and bold move when she posted a statement on Instagram this weekend denouncing Tennessee Republican candidate, Marsha Blackburn. Swift criticized the candidate’s stance on women’s rights, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and her voting record, CNN reports.

The singer has by her own account been mum on the topic of discussing politics and her political views, but as her posts states, “due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now.”

With the mid-term elections just weeks away, Swift’s used her post to not only call out Blackburn but to endorse Democrat Phil Bredesen. 

“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,” she wrote. “Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives.”

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

 

Bredesen served as governor of Tennessee, the state where Swift is registered to vote, from 2003 to 2011, and in a tweet he thanked Swift for her “kind words.”

 

 

Swift’s lengthy post not only urged young fans to get out and vote but to “educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values.” Swift also used the post as an opportunity to call out the “systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color,” and included instructions on how to register to vote. 

She wrote, “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.” 

So call it what you want, but Swift is using her platform and her voice to do some good and call for change. 

Lauryn is a 2014 graduate of Mars Hill University where she majored in Business with a concentration in marketing and finance. While in college Lauryn was the Founder and Editor of Her Campus Mars Hill. She is currently a candidate for her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She lives for a good plot twist, a great cup of coffee and new running shoes.