Cyndi Lauper Reflects On Her Gay Advocacy

Cyndi Lauper, who turned 60-years-old today, recently spent some time reflecting on her advocacy for gay rights. The American signer has had a very successful career over the past five decades and she’s very proud of her accomplishments and her ability to stand up for the gay community.

“Well, I always saw people being discriminated against – my friends and people that I work with,” she said in an interview with Pride Source. “At first, I was going to just take refuge and sing in the clubs at night. I thought, ‘Hey, that’s a lot of fun.’ But when I couldn’t take the conservative straight community, I would run home kind of, and then I started seeing a lot of disparity going on, things that were wrong.”

She noticed the changes that were taking place around her, which affected her in many ways. Someone had to stand up and Cyndi Lauper was ready to make a difference.

“I just felt like, ‘These are my fans. You gotta help them have more love for themselves,'” she went on to say in the interview. “As they were taking civil rights away, I thought, ‘Somebody better say something. And in two seconds, I will.’ And I did.”

The legendary musician has been recognized for her many accomplishments throughout her career, but her advocacy for gay rights has received praise from all over the world, and rightfully so. She’s now noticing that acceptance is slowly getting better and better.

“I think everybody coming from all sides breaks down the walls a little bit. Things are changing,” Lauper added. “You have to just get your foot in the door so it doesn’t close, and then keep widening that door till it opens.”

There’s no debating that she’s considered one of the primary supporters of the gay community within celebrities and public figures. Do you believe Cyndi Lauper has made an impact unlike any other for the advocacy of gay rights?

[Image via Eva Rinaldi]