Resurfaced video of Jane Fonda championing LGBT+ rights in 1979 goes viral on Twitter

‘As individuals we don’t have very much, but altogether, we have a lot of power’

Jane Fonda interviewed about gay rights in 1979 (left) and Fonda presenting at the 2020 Oscars (right) (Getty)

An interview with Jane Fonda from 1979 has gone viral on social media.

In the clip, the Klute star speaks out for LGBT+ rights, as she was interviewed amid San Francisco’s White Night Riots, following the murder of Harvey Milk.

Asked whether gay people were still discriminated against, she responded: “Absolutely. Culturally, psychologically, economically, politically, gays and lesbians are discriminated against.”

Fonda in Cannes in 1978, the year before the interview took place (Getty)

Fonda was then asked whether her organisation, the Campaign for Economic Democracy, was being “used” by gay people, prompting an eloquent and uncompromising answer.

“I hope they use me,” she said. “What am I here for if not to be used by good people for good things? I’m part of an organisation and you could also be cynical as you are and ask me, ‘Isn’t the organisation using me?’”

She continued: “But you could also think, ‘Aren’t I using the organisation just the way the gays and lesbians here are using the organisation they’re a part of if it helps give us perspective, helps us keep our values intact, it increases our power – because as individuals we don’t have very much, but altogether, we have a lot of power.’”

Fonda has long been renowned for her activism and progressive stances on everything from LGBT+ rights to the environment.

In the interview, she also said: “Everybody uses. The point is what are you using for if it’s just for greed or selfish reasons? That’s one thing. But if you’re using each other for things that are positive, then why not?”

Footage of the interview was posted on Twitter, along with the caption: “Jane Fonda was saying this in the 70s while some celebrities only manage to say ‘gay rights’ today.”

The tweet was subsequently retweeted more than 50,000 times, and accumulated more than 185,000 likes.

The video – viewed more than 3 million times – was also shared by actors including Glee’s Jane Lynch and Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown.

“Fighting for equality and justice for ALL is never the wrong thing to fight for. Way to go, @JaneFonda,” wrote Brown.