Inauguration Singer Jackie Evancho Asks Trump To Reconsider Transgender Bathroom Laws

In January, Jackie Evancho performed at President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but now, the 16-year-old is singing a different tune.

After the Trump administration announced the end of federal protection for transgender students, which required schools to allow the use of bathrooms of their gender identities, Evancho took to Twitter to speak out against it.

The singer, whose 18-year-old sister, Juliet, is transgender, said she was disappointed in the president’s decision. “I’m obviously disappointed in the @POTUS decision to send the #transgender bathroom issue to the states to decide. #sister love,” she tweeted.

But Evancho didn’t stop there. Hours later, the singer once again took to Twitter and this time tweeted at Trump’s personal Twitter account, asking if her and her sister could meet with the president. The singer wrote, “@realDonaldTrump u gave me the honor 2 sing at your inauguration. Pls give me & my sis the honor 2 meet with u 2 talk #transgender rghts.”

Following her tweets, Jackie and Juliet both appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” to discuss their situation. According to Juliet, high school can be an unsafe environment for transgender students, recalling times where things have been thrown at her and people said “horrible” things to her.

In 2016, Juliet, along with two other high school students, sued a Pennsylvania high school after the district implemented a “sex-specific” policy which required students to use the bathroom that matched the sex they were assigned at birth.

“The three brave students we represent are simply looking for equal educational opportunities and for the district to return to a practice that served everyone well,” said attorney Omar Gonzalez-Pagan at a news conference. “They want to be able to graduate from Pine-Richland knowing the school recognized and respected who they are.”

Although Jackie is upset with the Trump administration’s announcement, she would still be willing to sing for the president. “The reason why I did sing for the inauguration was not politics, it was for the honor and the privilege to perform for my country, and that will stay the same I think.”