Legendary Scottish singer Annie Lennox praised progress in the recognition of transgender people in an interview with the Huffington Post.
The former Eurythmics frontwoman was discussing the feminist movement and how the struggle for equality should include a wide variety of demographics:
“We’re coming to a place where [feminism] needs to be inclusive.
“I think the LGBTQ community are a part of that movement and we’re all sort of connected on this particular level and it’s very exciting – watch that space.
“I am so happy to see now that transgender women and men are able to come out of the shadows finally and say ‘Look we’re here. Why do we need to pretend we don’t exist?’
“It’s a very interesting time.”
Lennox has long been an advocate of gender equality, LGBT rights and androgynous haircuts. In 2009 the singer opened the Edinburgh Festival of Politics wearing a shirt bearing the words ‘HIV Positive’, and gave comment criticizing Pope Benedict XVI’s denunciation of condoms on a tour of Africa. Lennox’s has worked with foundations including Oxfam, Amnesty International and the British Red Cross promoting AIDS awareness.
Lennox is an HIV Ambassador for mayor of London Boris Johnson, and three weeks ago opened an HIV and sexual health centre in east London.
In a recent interview with PrideSource, Lennox said that one day the word ‘gay’ would no longer exist, as labels would no longer be relevant.
“This is something I’ve been saying to a lot of my gay compadres: One day we’ll get rid of this word ‘gay,’ because it’s irrelevant.
“Of course it’s terribly relevant when you are trying to create a campaign.
“During a human rights movement, it’s terribly important to have labels and to have platforms that are very identifiable, but ultimately we should just be fine with everybody no matter what our sexual orientation is.
“It’s nobody’s effing business.” she said.
Lennox recently released a jazz album covering such classics as ‘I Put a Spell on You’.
Read More: Annie Lennox Turns to Jazz
Sophie Joske
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