There are a handful of anthems you will reliably hear at Pride every year: Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way,’ Diana Ross’ ‘I’m Coming Out,’ and Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive.’ The latter not only is a banger but speaks powerfully of resistance and perseverance to an LGBTQ+ community that often feels like it is in a battle for survival.
So, it came as a shock when Gaynor accepted the offer to be honored at the Kennedy Center — soon possibly to be known as the Trump Kennedy Center — earlier this month.
It also led some to question if the singer behind the iconic queer anthem may be a Trump supporter, despite declining to discuss her political affiliation in the past.
Critics of this choice included The View host Ana Navarro, who urged the singer on Instagram to decline the honor. "Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldn’t accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem," she wrote. "Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Don’t do it, Gloria!"
Now, however, it’s making more sense. An investigation by MeidasTouch into Gaynor — whose real name is Gloria Fowles — revealed that the singer has been increasingly giving to Republicans, far-right politicians, and MAGA super PACs.
According to their reporting, Gaynor donated $235.00 in support of Ben Carson. But by 2023 her donations had accelerated greatly, including to politicians such as Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan, and Marco Rubio, as well as the New Journey PAC, which targets Black voters with MAGA candidates.
One name is that is noticeably missing from the list: President Donald Trump. But she did donate to several of his opponents, including Carson, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
For the list of Republicans and groups Gaynor has donated to, see below:
- Mike Johnson — $2160.57
- Kevin McCarthy — $356.15
- The National Republican Senatorial Committee — $1190.53
- Marsha Blackburn — $2041.50
- Dave McCormick — $1223.05
- Josh Hawley — $1242.28
- Ted Cruz — $476.18
- Marco Rubio — $114.10
- Maria Elvira Salazar — $242.18
- Mazi Pilip — $682.28
- Elise Stefanik — $1173.05
- Nick Begich — $847.76
- Wesley Hunt — $868.00
- Jim Jordan — $1173.05
- Vivek Ramaswamy — $1219.14
- Nikki Haley — $1123.05
- Ben Carson — $235.00
- Steve Garvey — $1023.05
- Mayra Flores — $1123.05
- Daniel Norber — $1115.04
- Tayler Rahm — $1065.04
- Service and Honor / Jake Ellzey — $827.52
- New Journey PAC — $610.25
While Gaynor has always maintained a stance of political neutrality in public, behind the scenes she has put her hard-earned dollars — much of which presumably comes from the loyalty of LGBTQ+ community — toward causes and candidates that community finds hostile. It would be understandable for LGBTQ+ fans to feel a sense of betrayal.