In accepting an award on Saturday, out
singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile condemned anti-LGBTQ bills being
debated in numerous Republican-led states.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBTQ rights advocate, honored Carlile with its
Visibility Award, which recognizes “LGBTQ+ individuals who are
living open and honest lives at home, at work, and in their greater
community.” Soccer star Abby Wambach and her wife Glennon Doyle
presented Carlile with the award.
Carlile, who is raising two daughters
with her wife Catherine Shepherd, criticized attacks against the
LGBTQ community, the most notable being Florida's
“Don't Say Gay” bill and Texas'
decision to investigate parents who support their transgender
children.
“The worst part is that political
predators addicted to power are carrying out their long-standing
tradition of targeting children as they relate to the LGBTQIA +
narrative,” Carlile said.
“This hurts all families, queer and
cis heteronormative, because these misguided leaders chip away at our
natural ability to understand one another.”
“They weaponize sexuality and
sequester us off into categories of deviance making us inherently
'age-inappropriate' when many of us have children ourselves. This
isn’t light reading.”
Carlile concluded her remarks on an
optimistic note.
“In all seriousness and gratitude, we
will win these fights like we’ve won the ones before them. There’s
beauty in the struggle, joy in the fight and I’ll never stop being
grateful for this honor and this visibility,” she said.