Lauren Jauregui to Young LGBT Community: ‘Don’t Be Scared’ in Trump Era
Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony, who came out as bisexual in an open letter in 2016, is encouraging young members of the LGBT community to stay strong in a political climate that has already made many feel marginalized.
In a new interview with The Huffington Post, Jauregui says it's critical to maintain a sense of self in the era of Donald Trump's presidency. Already, Trump has scaled back protections for young transgender students in public schools.
"What I would tell everyone is: Don’t lose your sense of individuality," she said. "Don’t lose your love for yourself, and how much you’ve grown, and how far you’ve come. Do not allow this bulls--- to change that or to take that away from you. You’re still loved. We love you, we support you, we’re here and we’re all together in this. Nobody’s going to take our voice away."
And the potential to serve as inspiration is part of the reason Jauregui said she, herself, decided to come out.
"I was pointing out all the different ways I personally felt attacked, and that is a very big part of it," she said. "That’s definitely part of who I am. I feel like people make such a big deal out of sexuality. It’s so weird to me, because at the end of the day it’s just about soul connection. It’s just about who you connect with."
Finally, Jauregui urged young people to embrace love, and reminded them that as hard as things feel sometimes, being honest can also lead to wonderful liberations.
"When you feel comfortable enough or when you find that person that makes you feel comfortable enough, just go into it and embrace it," she said. "Don’t be scared of it. Don’t allow yourself to be hard on yourself or feel like you’re crazy or wrong. Especially with the administration that’s coming in, they’re really going to try to make you feel like you’re crazy or you’re not normal or you’re wrong. You’re going to hear so many people around you that are fueled by that ― fueled by the validity of their hatred. That’s not on you. That’s on them and their hearts. You just keep being you and stay true to yourself because that’s what going to make you feel free."
Stars Who Bravely Came Out: