Jane Fonda is a two-time Academy Award-winning actress and a former fitness guru, but she is also known for her political activism and being an advocate for civil rights.
At 82-years of age, her recent support for the LGBTQ community by defending the use of pronouns is an example of her enduring advocacy and fight against injustices.
A recently resurfaced video clip from the 1970s in which she called out gay discrimination shows that the Grace and Frankie star has always been fighting the good fight.
Twitter user @sarahsbian posted the clip of Fonda from a 1979 interview in which a reporter asked if the "gays in San Francisco" still needed support and if they are "still being discriminated against."
This is what Fonda had to say:
"Oh absolutely," replied Fonda.
She continued:
"Culturally, psychologically, economically, politically. Gays and lesbians are discriminated against."
"They are a very powerful movement, especially in San Francisco and they don't need me but they like me."
"They like our organization – the Campaign for Economic Democracy – because they know working together we can be stronger than either entity by itself."
"So it's really healthy that we try to bring these things together."
When the reporter asked if the LGBTQ group was "using" Fonda for her economic campaign, she responded affirmatively without missing a beat.
"I hope they use me. What am I here for if not to be used by good people for good things?"
"I'm part of an organization and you could also be cynical, as you are, and ask, is it the organization using me but you could also think, aren't I using the organization, just the way the gays and lesbians here are using the organization they're a part of?"
"It helps give us perspective, it helps us keep our values intact, it increases our power, because as individuals we don't have very much but all together we have a lot of power."
"So everyone uses. The point is what are you using for? If it's just for greed or selfish reasons, it's one thing but if you're using for good and positive things, why not?"
Fonda replied:
"It's hard to predict in a real sense exactly what's going to happen."
"All we can know is that what this movement is seeking which is nothing less than respect and justice and stopping discrimination because of sexual preference."
"You're on the side of the angels so it's just and right".
The retrospective interview gained her even more admiration.
Four decades later, Jane Fonda is showing no signs of slowing down.
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