Barack Obama has recruited Beyoncé, Kerry Washington and few more of his famous friends to urge women to vote in the upcoming election.
In a new ad, Beyoncé urged women to vote and cited daughter Blue Ivy as the motivation behind her involvement in President Obama’s re-election campaign. “It’s not just about supporting the president because I want to see him re-elected,” she said in the video. “I’m standing up for the future of my daughter. The future I want her to see.”
Kerry Washington also spoke out in support of President Obama and praised him for being a champion of women’s rights and empowerment. “There’s no way to say this isn’t a president that doesn’t believe in women and women’s empowerment,” the “Scandal” star said in the video.
Jennifer Lopez was another famous face seen in the video. The singer and actress encouraged women to stick together and see the power in working with each other. “Women will help decide this election. I grew up with a strong, hardworking mom and dad, and two brilliant sisters. I learned from an early age that when women come together, there is nothing we can’t do,” she said.
There were a slew of other famous women in the video, including feminist icon Gloria Steinem, Sheryl Crow, “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi and Eva Longoria, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention. “I find such a champion in President Obama—which is why I passionately support him—specifically because I’m a woman,” Longoria said in the video.
In addition to releasing this advertisement, President Obama sat down for an interview with Glamour magazine and, as would be expected, women’s rights was a topic of discussion. Like Beyoncé, President Obama sees his children as inspiration for his actions. “Look, I’ve got two daughters, and I want to empower them to make good decisions,” he responded when asked about his views on contraception. “They’re not going to make good decisions because somebody in Congress is restricting their access to health care. They’re going to make good decisions because hopefully they’ve been raised wisely and trust their parents enough to have open conversations as they grow up.”
