Twitter begs Beyoncé to save LGBT discrimination law
The singer is being called on to use her star power to save an LGBT discrimination law from being scrapped.
The Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) – legislation that was passed to protect the LGBT community from discrimination in housing, employment, and more – came under attack last week, when the Texas Supreme Court ordered the bill be repealed, or placed on the ballot next November.
However, LGBT activists are hoping that the mega star can come to their rescue and use her “superpowers” to help save HERO.
Carlos Maza – LGBT program coordinator at Media Matters for America – decided to call on Beyoncé to support HERO, saying her online influence could prove integral in protecting the rights of LGBT people in her hometown.
“With a single Instagram post, Beyoncé could help make sure her hometown doesn’t repeal protections for LGBT Houstonians this November,” he wrote in the Huffington Post.
Maza also referenced Houston’s worringly low voter turnout, and said if Beyoncé could get even a few thousand fans to the polls, HERO may be saved.
“Beyoncé is a super star. She doesn’t need to worry about discrimination, but that is her hometown and the ones in that community do face discrimination,” Maza told NBC OUT.
“Recognising her power and using it to really improve the situation for people who are at risk of discrimination is the truest form of allyship.”
Local activist Ismael Melendez quickly picked up on the idea, starting the hashtag #BeyBeAHERO, with many Twitter followers following suit.
The calls come after a video posted by the singer on Instagram – celebrating the Supreme Court ruling that legalising gay marriage nationwide – had more than one million likes.
