By Jacob Rivard

NASHVILLE, TN. — After receiving backlash for her most recent music video, Taylor Swift has taken it upon herself to put together her most noble cause yet: the first-ever Ally Parade in Nashville. Swift saw this as a chance to stand up for what she considers one of the most oppressed groups in the nation.

“After I came out as an ally a few days ago, I learned through personal experience how much we as a group are being bullied and discriminated against,” Swift said in a recent interview with Swallow Media. “Now more than ever, it’s more important for us allies to stand up for ourselves in the face of oppression. It takes a lot of bravery to stand up for other people — and even more to make a cause entirely about ourselves. We have the right — no, the privilege — to stand up for the oppressed allies around the world facing ridicule and bashing for nobly and bravely telling everyone everywhere how much they support the LGBTQ community. It’s an epidemic.”

Fans of Swift have lauded her for her bravery in the face of persecution against those who would otherwise condemn allies. Ally Pride Parade, set to coincide with Nashville’s annual Pride Parade, will feature performances from Taylor Swift, Lil Dicky, YouTube star PewDiePie, and rapper Tom Macdonald. In a shocking twist of events, Janelle Monáe has refused her invitation to the Ally Parade. Could this be a sign of potential allyphobia? It’s too early to say, but one can never be sure in the difficult world we live in.

In the past, Swift has advocated for an A — short for Ally — to be added to the LGBTQ acronym as well as an Ally Pride Month to be added to the calendar. As an advocate for ally rights, she’s received honors from the state of Alabama for her stance on allyship and is poised to give a speech at the Straight Pride Parade in Boston later this month. It looks like the sky’s the limit for Swift and her selfless, noble cause. One can only hope this is a sign of a world ready to accept allies for who they are, not for who they steal the spotlight from.