5 Election Issues Closest to Your Fave Celebs’ Hearts
From environmental issues to economic issues, the 2016 election is sparking discussion on a wide range of important topics. We shared a list of the top celebrity endorsements we’ve seen so far this election, but some of our fave stars aren’t just vocal about the candidates during election season. Many celebs want to put their fame to use by advocating for causes close to their hearts. Read below for five of the most passionate celebs and videos of their moving speeches.
The shocking gender pay gap in Hollywood is emblematic of a widespread problem in the American workforce, and Robin Wright isn’t standing for it. Robin explained in an interview, “Women earn 82 percent of what their male counterparts make, kind of on an average… [recently] I was like, ‘I want to be paid the same as Kevin [Spacey].’ It was a perfect paradigm, an example to use, because there are very few films or TV shows where the male — the patriarch and the matriarch are equal. And they are on House of Cards. I was looking at statistics, and Claire Underwood’s character was more popular than his for a period of time in a season, so I capitalized on that moment. And I was like, ‘You better pay me, or I’m going to go public.’ And they did.”
2. Leonardo DiCaprio: Climate change
Leo has been spreading public awareness of the dangers of climate change through the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation for nearly a decade. He addressed the World Economic Forum in January, and said, “We simply cannot afford to let the corporate greed of the coal, oil and gas industries to determine the future of humanity. Last week, President Obama told those who continue to deny the irrefutable science behind climate change they will find themselves increasingly lonely in a swell of voices calling for action. Those entities with a financial interest in preserving this destructive system have denied and even covered up the evidence of our changing climate. Enough is enough. You know better. The world knows better.”
3. Kerry Washington: LGBT Rights
While receiving an award for being an ally to GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), Kerry said, “We need more LGBT characters and more LGBT storytelling. We need more diverse LGBT representation, and by that I mean lots of different kinds of LGBT people living all different kinds of lives. We need more employment of LGBT people in front of and behind the camera… We have to continue to be bold and break new ground until that is just how it is, until we are no longer ‘first’ and ‘exceptions’ and ‘rare’ and ‘unique.'”
4. Sarah Silverman: Abortion access
One of our fave funny ladies is passionate about women’s choice to make decisions about their own bodies and ensuring access to safe abortions. “The truth is… I’ve never had an abortion and I don’t know if I would. But it doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t fight to the death for women to make their own choices for their own human bodies.”
5. Samantha Bee: Gun control and the NRA
You may be surprised to learn that the National Rifle Association’s mascot is Eddie the gun safety eagle. Samantha Bee went on a hunt to acquire an eagle costume on a recent episode of her show Full Frontal. This is what she discovered: “It turned out, the organization that makes it easier to get a gun than Sudafed makes it nearly impossible to acquire their giant, dancing eagle. […] But you know what I could buy online without a big hassle? A used shotgun onarmslist.com from a random guy down the road from the TBS headquarters in Atlanta.”
Which issue do you feel passionate about? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Featured photo via Valerie Macon/Getty Images)
