American pop star Chappell Roan clarified her position on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, saying that though she does not endorse either the Democrats or the Republicans, she will be voting for Kamala Harris.
“Endorsing and voting are completely different,” the 26-year-old singer-songwriter said in a video shared to TikTok on Wednesday
“Obviously f — the policies of the right, but f — some of the policies on the left,” she continued. “There’s no way I can stand behind some of the left’s completely transphobic and completely genocidal views.”
The Democratic party, she adds, “has failed people like you and me, and more so, Palestine.
“So yeah, I’m f — king voting for Kamala, but I’m not settling for what has been offered, because that’s questionable.”
Roan’s statement comes in the wake of a controversy that erupted over the weekend, following a statement she made in the Guardian suggesting that she would not be endorsing a candidate.
“I have so many issues with our government in every way,” she said in the interview, published last week. “There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote — vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.”
On social media, many fans took issue with her initial stance, suggesting that it showed a lack of support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Chappell Roan is an embarrassment to lesbians,” Maya Luna, the Executive Director for Progress Libs, posted on X. “You can’t borrow from drag esthetics and embrace your sexuality and then pretend the party that would criminalize our happiness is the same as the one who protects it.”
Others defended Roan’s position.
“Chappell Roan is donating proceeds to Palestine and told the Whitehouse to f — off when they tried to pink-wash her,” wrote X user Ben Silver in a viral post shared earlier this week.
“She’s extremely political and this quote is cherry picked out of context. She’s criticizing the engine of celebrity endorsement and asking us to engage directly.”
Roan, who hails from Missouri, is currently one of the most popular artists in mainstream music. Her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” was released last Septembers, but remains near the top of the North American sales charts.
Earlier this month, pop superstar Taylor Swift also announced that she would be voting for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.
“I’ve done my research, and I’ve made my choice. Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make,” Swift wrote on Instagram.
Swift’s endorsement had been highly sought-after during an election year where celebrity endorsements have become a much-talked about part of politics. Harris has also been endorsed by other heavy-hitting celebrities like Charli XCX, Carole King, Barbra Streisand, Spike Lee, Cardi B and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Trump’s endorsements include Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan.
The U.S. election takes place Nov. 5, 2024.
