Cyndi Lauper’s Bold Activism

Cyndi Lauper, famed for her iconic 1980s anthem Girls Just Want to Have Fun, shared an emotional moment when she saw the song's title repurposed into a feminist slogan. The 71-year-old New York native, whose musical career has been intertwined with her activism, was deeply moved when she saw the phrase “Girls just want to have fundamental rights” displayed at women’s marches.

In a recent interview with Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Lauper opened up about the experience, revealing that it brought her to tears. "When I saw that, I cried a little, because I used to get in a lot of trouble for talking about women’s rights," she said.

This powerful moment sparked her to take action. Lauper, who has been a longtime advocate for women’s rights, called up her friends from the True Colours Fund, an organization she co-founded in 2008 to address youth homelessness and support the LGBT+ community. “Let’s start the Girls Just Want To Have Fundamental Rights Fund,” she recalled saying. The fund now supports women’s health, safe and legal abortion, prenatal care, cancer screenings, and a range of other critical services.

Lauper’s activism has long been at the forefront of her career. In 2022, following widespread protests after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, she launched her donor-advised fund to further her mission to support women's rights on a global scale. Her work at the intersection of art and activism was also seen when she performed Girls Just Want to Have Fun at the Glastonbury Festival, referencing the ongoing feminist movements and the need for women's rights.

Lauper’s achievements span beyond her music. She’s also an award-winning Broadway composer, taking home a Grammy for her work on Kinky Boots. Yet, her message remains clear: use your platform to make a difference. “Just do the best you can, and don’t make disposable music, or make music that makes people happy. Find some songs that help people, and you can leave that behind and do some great work,” she advised aspiring artists.

Her Desert Island Discs episode airs this Sunday at 10 a.m. on BBC Radio 4, and is available on BBC Sounds for a deeper dive into Lauper’s life, music, and activism.