Back in August ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepting her party’s nomination for the presidency, social media exploded with speculation about whether or not Beyoncé would show up to either introduce VP Harris or perform on the final day of the Democratic National Convention. Those rumours ended up not being true, turning everyone into a clown face.
Will it happen again tomorrow… or are the reports this time more legit?
Every major American news outlet, including the NYT, the Washington Post, ABC News, NPR and more is reporting that Beyoncé will join the Vice President tomorrow in Houston at her rally. Yes, Beyoncé is from Houston and yes, Beyoncé has already unofficially endorsed VP Harris since “Freedom” is her campaign song. But this reported appearance is significant not only because this would make the endorsement official.
In today’s site open, I posted about Texas and the draconian abortion laws in the state. VP Harris is specifically going to Houston to highlight Texas’s near-total abortion ban and put the issue at the top of voters’ list of priorities. In other words, reproductive freedom was always part of the VP’s agenda for this trip. So for Beyoncé to show up, if she shows up (and the news outlets seem very confident about it), knowing that the Vice President is directly addressing abortion and reproductive health care, she’s also presumably going to make it clear where she stands on this issue. Reproductive Freedom, after all, is “Freedom”.
Last time, at the DNC, it all started with speculation and no one in the VP’s camp was talking. This time, however, news outlets are citing anonymous sources directly connected with the plans. In fact, most of the news outlets, from the NYT to WaPo to CNN to NPR are using similar wording in their reports. Which usually, at least in media speak, means that this was a coordinated leak. That they wanted it to get out – and if that really is the case, I’m assuming Beyoncé co-signed that too. So that more eyes will be on the rally. So that all the attention possible will be on the rally. So that the message of the rally will be broadcast loud and clear:
Anti-abortion laws restrict basic human rights. They DEVALUE women. And reproductive freedom is on the ballot. Women’s health, women’s choice, women’s rights are on the ballot.
Now let’s wait and see if we hear from Yvette Noel-Schure, Beyoncé’s publicist. She made it clear during the DNC that it was a wild goose chase. If we don’t hear from her now that so many reputable news outlets are reporting it… could it mean that it’s true?
