In a rare endorsement, Actors’ Equity said it is backing Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
This is the second endorsement Actors’ Equity has made since 1913, following the union’s support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. They join other theatrical unions in support of Biden, including the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, which recently made it their first presidential endorsement.
In the endorsement for Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris, Equity leaders say President Trump has not supported workers’ rights, including measures such as gun control, Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ rights.
“It didn’t have to be this way. In 2016 I said that unions would have to fight with everything we have for our survival. I never imagined how true those words would be today, given the Trump administration‘s utter failure to respond to the pandemic that shut down our industry six months ago,” Kate Shindle, president of Actors’ Equity Association, said in the press release. “Vice President Biden understands that the arts are a critical driver of healthy and strong local economies in cities and towns across the country. He will also be an ally who can help us build a stronger and more inclusive country by championing the rights of workers in every sector, including the arts.”
