Taylor Swift accepts her surfboard on stage at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards on Sunday (August 11) in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
The 29-year-old singer was presented with the first-ever Icon Award and her friend Alex Morgan, a player for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, was there to hand it out.
“We have a lot to talk about. Wow. First I want to talk about Alex Morgan. The fact that she’s here presenting this to me is such an honor,” Taylor started off her speech. “While they were winning the World Cup they were also taking a historic stand in terms of gender equality, gender pay gap. Please, please, please support her and her teammates because this isn’t over yet. It’s not resolved… What happened to them is unfair, it’s happening everywhere and they are heroes and icons for standing up.”
Taylor then sent an inspiring message to her fans watching the speech.
“I think one thing I wish I would have known when I was a teen are mistakes are inevitable. Sometimes you think if you try hard enough to make every decision perfectly, you think you can possibly ace life and never make mistakes. But it’s normal to make mistakes,” she added. “If you’re out there and you’re being really hard on yourself right now for something that’s happened, or messing up or feeling embarrassed, it’s normal. That’s what going to happen to you in life. No one gets through unscathed. We’re all going to have a few scratches on us… Please be kind to yourselves and stand up for yourself, please.”
Make sure to check out the big news that Taylor announced at the show!
Thank you for everything, @taylorswift13 — you're a TRUE icon. #TeenChoice pic.twitter.com/2PZ8unzzjl
— Teen Choice Awards (@TeenChoiceFOX) August 12, 2019