Yesterday Canadian sibling alt-pop duo, Tegan and Sara, announced the launch of the Tegan and Sara Foundation — a project dedicated to working for “economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women.” In their mission statement, the sisters explained the foundation is a reflection of their commitment to feminism and racial, social and gender justice. In a letter on their site, they opened up about the central role their LGBTQ fans have played in their lives and careers by not only supporting them professionally, but also helping them navigate music industry sexism and homophobia.
The idea for the Tegan and Sara Foundation began to germinate while they were touring their album Love You to Death. During their down time, the two spent times meeting activists and fans, and were inspired by their personal experiences. Across these meetings, they became increasingly aware of the lack of LGBTQ services and support around North America, as well as the ongoing issues of discrimination facing women of colour and members of the queer community. They added, “Most importantly, we learned that LGBTQ women and girls are feeling overwhelmingly rejected and left behind.”
Speaking to i-D in May, they reflected on their growing interest in putting LGBTQ causes front and centre in their life and music: “We’d never hesitated in talking about being queer, but I think there was a point where we realised that if we could somehow mainstream ourselves there was more power in that.”
While the core ideals of the foundation have been long held by Tegan and Sara, their decision to launch it now is also an effort to press against “the repressive legislation of the incoming Trump administration.” To help the sister’s out on this awesome new venture, head over to their page to make a donation.
Credits
Text Wendy Syfret