"We should all have the same right to live with the same dignity, opportunity & safety. It shouldn’t matter what anyone’s sexual orientation is." – Cyndi Lauper

We have always had an adoration for Cyndi Lauper. She is to many a legendary icon that has withheld the test of time as an outspoken pop innovator and brilliant singer/songwriter. How can anyone not resist running to the dancefloor when ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ in one of it’s many incarnations is played? Whenever we hear ‘Change Of Heart’ we instantly grab our hairbrush and pretend we are jumping around Leicester Square just like Cyndi did in our high school years. It is with delight today that we bring you our latest post to honour Cyndi Lauper.

Cyndi is getting a lot of press lately as she is taking a stand and fighting for gay equality by headlining the ‘True Colors Tour’ which will be blazing it’s way across America and Canada throughout June in many key cities. Cyndi has brought together an impressive list of supporting gay-friendly artists as well for this tour including Erasure, Debbie Harry, The Dresden Dolls, The Gossip and The Misshapes. All will be hosted as well by our favourite stand-up comedian and personal hero Margaret Cho. Guests on the tour include Rufus Wainwright, Rosie O’Donnell, The Indigo Girls, The Clicks, Jeffree Star, Cazwell, Amanda Lepore and the brilliant Rufus Wainwright.

It means a lot to us that Cyndi Lauper is putting herself and her beliefs for gay equality on the line and in the public eye. A tour like this and of this scale would have never been possible ten years ago – it’s truly a sign that the world is changing their belief systems and accepting gays, lesbians and transgendered people into the mainstream. Yes, this change is not happening overnight, but if it wasn’t for artists like Cyndi Lauper leading the way, we don’t think this long overdue change would ever come.

We urge everyone to dig out their old Cyndi Lauper records and give them a spin. Download some of those Cyndi Lauper tracks (‘I Drove All Night’ is our favourite Cyndi Lauper song) that you never got around to purchasing and if you can, give ‘The Body Acoustic’ a whirl…Cyndi’s duet with Sarah McLachlan on ‘Time After Time’ is beautiful and heartwrenching. We get chills everytime we hear this beautiful duet with Cyndi standing for gay rights and Sarah who has done the same in regards to women’s rights with the ever-important Lilith Fair behind her.

We wish we could attend the True Colors Tour in America this June, but if any EQ readers get a chance to do so, please email us and let us know of your experience at this special summer event.

The world will never forget this Cyndi Lauper. Truly you are one of the original Electroqueers.

Cyndi Lauper & Sarah McLachlan on ‘Time After Time’

More info on the True Colors Tour

Cyndi Lauper’s MySpace