.png)
1 day ago
19 ARTICLE AD
Jewel apologizes to her fans and the LGBTQIA+ community after performing at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s inauguration ball.
The “Intuition” singer took to social media to address her fans following an appearance at an event in honor of Donald Trump‘s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I am so sorry that I caused pain,” she said in the Instagram video posted on Friday, January 24. “Especially in my LGBTQIA+ community because you guys are treasures. You make the world a better place. You’ve made my life a better place. And I will not stop fighting.”
In the days that Trump has taken office, he has taken aim at communities like the LGBTQIA+ by banning pride flags to be flown at U.S. government facilities, both at home and abroad. During his inauguration speech after being sworn in, Trump also took a shot at the trans community by calling for the federal government to define sex as only being male or female.
Jewel noted in her apology that she belives that “the only way we change is in relationship. It isn’t in isolation or by isolating. It’s by being in relationship, by reaching out, by having hard conversations, and I really hope that we can push through our hurt and move toward understanding on both sides.”
“It pains me, and I am so sorry. Some of my long time fans feel that I let them down,” she continued. “I want to be a ray of light in this world. I try hard to be a ray of light in your lives, and I know that in times of darkness, we must grow light. And so I will wake up again tomorrow and try again, and I will count on each of you to do the same. I have so much love and admiration for each of you.”
Jewel explained that her decision to perform for RFK Jr., a vocal vaccine skeptic, was due to her advocacy for mental health.
“If there’s anything that I’ve learned in the past 20 years, it’s that mental health affects everybody’s lives across party lines,” she said. “I reached out to the last administration, spoke with the surgeon general about the mental health crisis that’s facing our nation. I don’t know if you guys know the stats, but it is bleak.”
She continued, “If I wait to try until I agree 100% with the people that might be willing to help me, I’d never get off the bench. I don’t think that’s how activism works, waiting until everything’s perfect enough to participate. It’s actually… because things are so imperfect that we have to find ways to engage and to participate. And we have to act now. We cannot wait another four years.”
Jewel noted that even though she does “not agree on all the politics,” “If I can help shape policy, make sure mental health is in the conversation… If I can help put resources or mental health tools into the hands of the most vulnerable who need it, I’m going to try and I’m going to fight.”
“And I understand that my words were overly simplistic. Half of our country feels hope right now, and I honor that. And half of our country feels disenfranchised and scared and vulnerable, and that is unacceptable.”
Watch Jewel’s entire message in the video below.
