Tegan and Sara/Instagram
This just in!
“Over these last months, we have been working on a new project, the Tegan and Sara Foundation. Our mission is to fight for economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women.”
Announcing the Tegan and Sara Foundation on their new website, the fabulous Canadian twins mentioned this:
“Less than 1% of TV characters are lesbian. Since the start of 2016, 25 queer female characters have been killed on-screen — continuing a decades-long trend.”
Certainly something we are all too familiar with at AfterEllen. Of course, the foundation is about more than TV, but we’re glad they care about this issue. The About page further states:
“The Tegan and Sara Foundation works for economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women. We work in partnership and solidarity with other organizations fighting for LGBTQ and women’s rights, raising funds and awareness. Our mission is founded on a commitment to feminism and racial, social and gender justice. We are fighting the inequality that prevents LGBTQ girls and women from reaching their full potential.
LGBTQ girls and women are disproportionately affected by poverty. 23% of lesbian women live in poverty. Women of color are 3 times more likely to live in poverty than white, LGB women. Transgender women are four times more likely to have a household income under $10,000 and twice as likely to be unemployed. One in five transgender women have reported being homeless at some point in their lives.LGBTQ women have higher rates of obesity, gynecological cancer, depression, suicide and tobacco/alcohol abuse. Discriminatory laws, provider bias, insurance exclusions and inadequate reproductive health coverage leave 29% of LGBTQ women struggling to pay for health insurance. “
You can read the full mission letter HERE.
