Lizzo loves being from Houston, but she’s not here for Texas lawmakers’ attack on women’s reproductive rights and transgender kids. According to NBC News, the singer made her feelings on the state’s controversial, new laws very clear during a keynote speech at the South by Southwest festival in Austin.
“I’m proud to rep Houston,” Lizzo said. “But I’m not proud to rep Texan politics right now. There are very regressive laws being passed.”
When she was asked about the Texas state legislature’s ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected or six weeks, a point where some people don’t even know they’re pregnant yet, the “Juice” singer responded by criticizing politicians for being “all up in your uterus.”
“The abortion ban is atrocious,” she said. “Mind your business. Stay out of my body. This is not political.”
The Grammy-winning singer also had some thoughts on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent comments that child protective services and private citizens should report families who support their transgender children or, as he put it, “elective procedures for gender transitioning.”
“They’re taking away the right for young children to have a chance to live authentically as themselves,” she said. “It’s a violation of human rights. Trans rights are human rights.”
Abbott has been widely criticized at the festival for focusing on things that aren’t his business, instead of issues like COVID-19 or Texas’ old, damaged power grid.
“We got a lot of other things that we need,” Lizzo added. “There are people in charge who can change things on a systemic level and they’re letting us down.”
The 33-year-old was at SXSW to promote her upcoming Prime Video reality series Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, which premieres on March 24. She also recently revealed on Twitter that she just finished mastering her new album and it’s done.
We know what happens anytime a smart, independent Black woman speaks her mind, so we’re ready for the inevitable Republican backlash. Just know that if you come for Lizzo, an internet army of strong, confident fans will be ready to defend our Queen.