Demi Lovato’s date to the American Music Awards tonight is a major trailblazer—Danica Roem, the first out and seated transgender state legislator in U.S. history. Danica was elected on November 7 to Virginia’s House of Delegates, unseating Bob Marshall, the Republican lawmaker who penned the state’s anti-transgender bathroom bill. “I hope that my victory inspires people,” Danica told Teen Vogue at the time. “Whatever your life calling is, you can succeed because of who you are and not despite it.”
Her message resonated with Demi so much that the singer decided to extend an invite to the AMAs. “We connected because I heard her story,” said Demi on the red carpet Sunday night. “She’s actually the first out and seated transgender state legislator in American history. When I heard that, I was just completely inspired by it. My story with ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ is about bullying. I wanted to have her in the audience with me tonight, because I feel like we’ve been through some of the same things. Now we get to share this experience together.”
The feeling was mutual. “I’m also grateful that Demi has spent her career advocating for people who need a voice when they feel voiceless, and that she really understands that no matter what you look like, where you come from, who you worship, or who you love, you should be welcomed and celebrated because of who you are, not despite it,” Danica said.
Both women will be touching on the issue of bullying tonight. Demi has always spoken out about her mental health, opening up about topics such as her bipolar disorder, surviving self-harm, and her past eating disorder. As a longtime advocate of bullying survivors, she will be performing her song “Sorry Not Sorry,” an “unapologetic song” she wrote for “shutting down” haters who bully her on a daily basis.
“Some fans are saying that I’ve inspired them to either get over certain struggles in their lives, whether it’s bullying, a mental illness they now live and thrive with a mental illness and they’re happy and healthy,” she said. “And some people are actually said that I’ve saved their life, which is unfathomable and I can’t comprehend it fully, but it means the world to me.”
Meanwhile, Danica will be speaking tonight about inclusion and bullying prevention. According to the incoming state legislator’s Twitter, her AMAs invitation was super last-minute, and she’ll be back in her home state tomorrow morning just in time for a 7:30 a.m. school board meeting.
On the red carpet, Demi found out from an interviewer that she’d made People magazine’s list of 25 women changing the world. “It’s amazing and it feels incredible, and I think Danica should be on that list as well,” she said. When asked if she agreed, Danica reacted with humility and a focus on what she can do in the future.
“I just want to be a good delegate,” she said.