MS MR, the alternative rock band behind the smash-hit "Hurricane," is doing more than just gracing your ears with rad jams. The duo explained to HuffPost Live on Friday how they're planning on donating proceeds from their upcoming tour to The Third Wave Fund, a foundation that supports feminism and transgender rights.
Max Hershenow, the band's producer, explained to host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani how his own sexual orientation inspired the group to give back.
"It's always been very important to me as a gay man to make a statement with what we're doing," he said. "I think we have an enormous privilege and platform here doing what we're doing and, sort of, an obligation to further causes and our vision a little bit."
The Third Wave Fund, Hershenow explained, donates money to various different grassroots organizations to further gender justice activism. He called it a "broad swath of queer and feminists organizations." For band member Lizzy Plapinger, it's an especially poignant time to engage in such relevant social activism.
"It's an exciting time to have those social and cultural conversations, and they're coming to the forefront more than ever, especially with Caitlyn Jenner," Plapinger said. "And I think there's still a lot of work to be done on a grassroots and ground level on the day-to-day within those local communities, and I think that's what's really strong about what Third Wave fund does."
Rye Young, the director of Third Wave Fund, also joined the conversation and explained how MS MR is helping the group further trans causes. It's an "amazing opportunity," he said.
"It means a tremendous amount. I think any day there's allyship in practice like this, it's a special day for the trans community," Young said. "And I think to do it within a feminist, anti-racist framework is so essential when you look at where trans issues are really most needing intervention and support, specifically around trans women of color."
Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!
Before You Go
