Lizzo Kicked Off Pride Month By Standing Up For Drag Performers In A Big Way On Stage In California

We’re officially a few days into Pride Month, and at the top of it, Lizzo made a statement: At her June 2 performance at Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, California, she made it clear she’s all in on supporting the LGBTQ community.

In a video shared on Lizzo’s social media accounts yesterday (June 4), Lizzo waves a pride flag around as she shouts into the mic, “Drag is not a crime,” presumably in reference to recent anti-drag laws. She was surrounded by drag queens Kim Chi, Angeria Paris Van Michaels and Kahanna Montrese, along with drag king Tenderoni (as Billboard notes). Lizzo also captioned her post, “You’ve always had my back, and I’ll always have yours. [transgender flag emoji][rainbow flag emoji] Happy Pride [rainbow flag emoji][transgender flag emoji].”

This is just the latest recent example of Lizzo vocalizing her support for the LGBTQ community. After an anti-drag law was passed in Tennessee, Lizzo said on stage in April, “In light of recent and tragic events — recurring events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee’ and ‘Don’t go to Tennessee.’ […] Why would I not come to the people that need to hear this message the most? The people that need to feel this release the most. Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences? And celebrate fat Black women.”

Then, in May, after Nebraska passed a law banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people under the age of 18, Lizzo said, “It really breaks my heart that there are young people growing up in a world that doesn’t protect them. Let me be your safe space tonight. Young people, don’t let anybody tell you who you are, don’t let any law tell you who you’re not. You are who you are. I see you. You are valid. You deserve to be here in any form. These laws are not real. You are what’s real.”

Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.