Jewel is addressing her controversial participation in an inauguration event for Donald Trump.
For those who don’t know, the 50-year-old singer performed at the Make America Healthy Again inauguration ball hosted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Washington, D.C., on Monday. She sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow for the politician who is Trump’s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Yeahhh, really. The convicted felon wants this guy, an anti-vaxxer, to head the HHS. And Jewel seemingly supports that decision and the Trump administration in general, given her choice to perform at this event. At least that is what everyone is thinking at this moment…
Since then, the Grammy winner has faced a lot of criticism online — especially as Trump has gone on to sign a bunch of new despicable executive orders, several of which attack many marginalized groups, including the LGBTQIA+ community. Now Jewel is feeling sorry about her actions… somewhat. The Foolish Games artist took to Instagram to apologize to her fans after letting them down but defended her decision to perform at the inauguration ball, insisting the fight to solve the country’s mental health crisis defies political party lines.
For years, Jewel has been a mental health advocate. She co-founded the non-profit Inspiring Children Foundation, which helps the lives of at-risk youth in Las Vegas through a holistic approach to physical, emotional, and mental health. Jewel also started Innerworld, a virtual reality wellness center that lets users use anonymous avatars to access free mental health tools. That is why it angered and shocked many of her fans online that she performed for Robert F. Kennedy Jr… a man who has reportedly thrown out the false notion that school shootings have increased due to antidepressants before. That doesn’t sound like someone who is going to help her cause…
However, Jewel explained she does not wait to act for an administration she can “agree on all the politics” to come into the White House to try to make a change:
“As many of you know, I am a mental health advocate. 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. 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.”
Due to the numbers, Jewel explained she feels she can do things to save lives, so she needs to help now rather than later:
“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.”
The Who Will Save Your Soul musician said she believes there are people in the Trump administration “that are willing to help on this issue,” but she doesn’t “agree on all the politics.” Umm, is she serious?! She continued:
“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.”
That is why she is “so sorry” to all the fans she caused pain by performing at the ball, especially her LGBTQIA+ fans. Calling the community “treasures,” Jewel expressed:
“You make the world a better place. You’ve made my life a better place. And I will not stop fighting. None of us can afford to stop fighting, and I really believe that the only way we can 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.”
She concluded:
“I want to be a ray of light in this world. I try hard to be a ray of light in your lives. 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.”
Watch her video apology (below):
What are your reactions to the video, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments.
For resources on mental health, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.
To learn more about how you can help the LGBTQ+ community, check out https://www.glaad.org/.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]