Taylor Swift surprised everyone by showing up at the Stonewall Inn on Friday to show her support for the LGBTQ community during Pride Month. This came right after the release of her new single, You Need to Calm Down, which mentions GLAAD and speaks out against anti-LGBTQ language. Swift’s presence at the historic Stonewall Inn in New York City, where the gay rights movement began 50 years ago, was part of an intimate Pride performance organized by AEG and Stonewall Inn, and co-hosted by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jackie Dupree. Around 100 people attended the event, which highlighted Swift’s continued efforts to advocate for LGBTQ rights.
Taylor Swift showed up unexpectedly at Stonewall Inn on Friday, right after dropping her latest single, You Need to Stay Tranquil, which champions the LGBTQ community and calls out those who spread hate against them.
Swift, along with co-host Jesse Tyler Ferguson, graced the stage in front of approximately 100 attendees at the event. Sara Bareilles set the mood by performing her hits “Brave” and “Gravity” before Swift closed the show with her iconic tunes “Shake It Off” and “You Need to Calm Down,” showcasing her musical talents while playing the guitar with a pianist by her side. The lyrics of “You Need to Calm Down” feature powerful messages like ‘And control your urges to scream about all the people you hate/’Cause shade never made anybody less gay’ and ‘Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?’ Taylor expressed her gratitude to Stonewall during the event, wishing everyone a happy Pride, as reported by Billboard. Other performers at the event included VINCINT, jazz singer and comedian Lea DeLaria, and Broadway stars Jessica Vosk and Gavin Creel, who shared a heartwarming original piece about his coming out experience to his mother. The event was held ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a significant moment in LGBTQ+ history that took place on June 28, 1969, when the community stood up against police raids at the Stonewall Inn.
She expressed her gratitude to Stonewall for the opportunity to perform, sending warm wishes of ‘happy Pride’ to the audience before delivering an energetic rendition of her classic Shake It Off along with her latest single, You Need to Calm Down.
When Ferguson hopped on stage with Swift during her performance of Shake It Off, Swift mentioned to the audience that she heard it was one of his go-to songs for karaoke.
Swift concluded the evening’s festivities, where attendees were also treated to live acts from Sara Bareilles, VINCINT, Lea DeLaria, Jessica Vosk, Gavin Creel, and event co-host Jackie Dupree.
Swift was seen exiting her impromptu show at Stonewall Inn on Friday night.
Ferguson posted on Twitter praising Swift’s surprise performance at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Stonewall riots, a pivotal moment in the gay rights movement. Following the release of “You Need to Calm Down,” GLAAD revealed that donations of $13 were flooding in, believed to be a nod to Swift’s favorite number. GLAAD’s Anthony Ramos commended Swift for using her platform to support the LGBTQ community, calling her a true ally. GLAAD announced the release of limited edition stickers for donors, with one design available for a $13 donation and all three for $25. Swift had made a generous donation to GLAAD at the start of Pride Month. While Swift had previously stayed out of politics, she began advocating for LGBTQ rights during the 2018 elections and has since donated to organizations fighting anti-LGBTQ legislation. On the first day of Pride Month, Swift urged her followers to write to their senators in support of the Equality Act. She shared a letter she wrote to Tennessee senator Lamar Alexander and wore a rainbow outfit during a performance at the iHeart Wango Tango concert, advocating for the passing of the Equality Act.
