Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter And Cara Delevingne Join Fight To Protect LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Funding
With over 100 others, the stars backed a Trevor Project effort urging lawmakers to save federal funding for LGBTQ+ crisis intervention.
More than 100 actors, musicians, and public figures, including Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Sarah Paulson, and Cara Delevingne, are calling on Congress to reject a proposed budget cut that could gut a key lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth in crisis. The funding in question supports the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services, a program that has helped connect nearly 1.3 million young people with trained crisis counselors since it launched in 2022. Without that support, advocates warn, many queer and trans youth could be left with nowhere to turn during their darkest moments.
In an open letter published by The Trevor Project, the signatories express deep concern over the Trump administration’s reported plan to eliminate this funding in the 2026 federal budget.
“We are heartbroken by the proposal to eliminate federal funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services — a move that will have devastating, life-threatening consequences for young people across the country,” the letter begins.
The proposal, which first came to light in a leaked draft of the Department of Health and Human Services budget, has sparked outrage from mental health professionals and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups alike. Suicide is already a leading cause of death among LGBTQ+ youth, and access to affirming care has been a lifeline.
“As artists, creators, and public figures, our platforms come with responsibility. And today, that responsibility is clear: we must speak out to protect the mental health and lives of LGBTQ+ youth,” the letter continues. “We will not stay silent.”
Related: Suicide Prevention For LGBTQ+ Youth Is On The Chopping Block In Trump Budget
The message is clear and unified.
“This is about people, not politics,” the letter says. “At a time of deep division, let this be something we as people can all agree on: no young person should be left without help in their darkest moment. Stripping away this lifeline leaves LGBTQ+ youth with the message that their lives are not worth saving. We refuse to accept that message.”
In addition to Grande, Carpenter, Paulson, and Delevingne, the open letter is signed by a wide array of names across entertainment, including Pedro Pascal, Daniel Radcliffe, Dua Lipa, Diplo, Orville Peck, Bob the Drag Queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jonathan Van Ness, King Princess, Alan Cumming, and Troye Sivan.
“We also recognize the consequential impact we can have on showing LGBTQ+ young people possibility models,” the letter notes. “Telling stories about the diverse tapestry of humanity is what makes art powerful, and representation can be life-saving.”
The letter offers direct support to LGBTQ+ youth at a time when many feel politically and socially isolated.
“At this moment, LGBTQ+ youth are hearing messages that question and criticize their identities and their existence. We must show them that there are still so many people fighting for their rights.”
Related: Study Links Anti-Trans Laws To Increasing Suicide Attempts
Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black expressed gratitude for the support. “I am deeply grateful to the influential voices in entertainment who are speaking out and reminding the public that suicide prevention is about people – not politics,” he said. “It is clinical best practice for highly trained counselors to provide competent care to high-risk communities, including LGBTQ+ youth and veterans.”
To that end, the letter closes with a direct message for the youth it’s trying to protect:
“To every LGBTQ+ young person reading this: you are not alone. We see you. We value you. You have the right to feel safe, supported, and loved exactly as you are. You deserve access to life-saving services that honor your humanity. You may be hurting. You may be scared. You may feel like no one hears you — but we do. We will keep showing up and speaking out. We will not stop fighting for you.”
“We rise together — loudly and determined — for hope, for dignity, and for every LGBTQ+ young person to know that their lives are worthy and that there will always be someone on the other end of the line,” the letter concludes.
The letter remains open, and new signatures are still being added. The message, however, is set in stone: these lives matter, and this fight isn’t going anywhere.
