Tegan and Sara have recently branched out from what’s been a hectic year of new music and touring in boosting their advocacy for the LGBTQ community, launching the Tegan and Sara Foundation. Established to ‘fight for economic justice, health and representation for LGBTQ girls and women’, the duo began working on the project in the middle of touring their latest album Love You To Death.
While on the road, Tegan and Sara spent time meeting with fans as well as researchers, non for profit bodies, activists and legislators who work with LGBTQ causes, learning more about the lack of funding available for important LGBTQ services, not to mention limited training for doctors when it comes to their LGBTQ patients.
In the same vein as GLAAD and The Audre Lorde Project, the Tegan and Sara Foundation aims to nurture and encourage support for the community, not to mention the improvement of services and breaking down of discrimination towards women, especially women of colour and the lesbian and trans communities.
In a statement released by the Quin sisters, they explain the importance of support from Tegan and Sara’s LGBTQ fans right from the beginning of their career.
“Our journey navigating sexism and homophobia in the music industry has always been interwoven with the stories you share with us. Your personal histories of injustice and discrimination at home, school, work and church have inspired us to use our public status to speak out about the struggles of the LGBTQ community.”
“Our fans not only support us, but each other as well. We see hope and strength in our community, whether through everyday acts of kindness of through the power of mobilising behind a common cause. Therefore, it is with deep gratitude and pride that we commit ourselves further to the fight for justice, equality and progress.”
To find out more about the Tegan and Sara Foundation, visit www.teganandsarafoundation.org.
Photo by Andrew Wade.
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