The Voice coach Ariana Grande announced on her Instagram that she’s raising money for Transgender Day of Visibility. The pop star is no stranger to activism and has proudly defended the LGBTQ+ community from the start of her career. Ariana’s older brother, Frankie, is an openly gay man, and the two even left the Roman Catholic church after disagreeing with Pope Benedict XVI’s stance on homosexuality. Before launching her own beauty line, Ariana had a line of lip shades with MAC cosmetics, and the profits from the sales went to those affected by HIV and AIDS. In June 2018, the star penned a letter for Billboard thanking her LGBTQ+ fans for supporting her and her music.
Ariana has also been named “a gay icon” by her LGBTQ+ plus fans and has received praise for her empowering music. ”Break Free,” a song about letting go of the pain of the past, breaking free of restraints, and finding the strength to move forward, has deeply resonated with the community. In 2015, Ariana performed at NYC Pride right around the time the United States Supreme Court eliminated state bans on same-sex marriage and legalized it in all fifty states. The star made a point to call out the four supreme court justices who voted against the legalization of gay marriage, stating they should join the celebration.
The LGBTQ+ activist is now calling upon her following to donate to trans youth. In honor of Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31st, Ariana shared a post on Instagram to promote a fund she started with pledge.to that helps protect and defend transgender youth. The Voice coach’s post explained, “this fund was created to support organizations providing direct services and advocating for the rights of trans youth.” The post explained that currently, the United States has hundreds of pending bills that will target the trans community and take away their rights. The organizations Ariana is raising money for advocate for trans rights in order to fight these bills.
The singer also made donating easy by telling fans to either text PLEDGE to 707070 or use their easily accessible website. The two-time Grammy winner included a list of organizations that would be accepting the money so fans knew exactly where their donations would be going to. Some of the organizations she listed are Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, Tennessee Equality Project, and Transsocial. Ariana will be matching all funds raised up to $1,500,000.
It’s no surprise that Ariana is standing up for the LGBTQ+ community again, as she’s done it so many times throughout her career; however, it doesn’t make it any less powerful. It’s incredible to see a celebrity use their platform for good, especially for a cause that is so underrepresented. Ariana’s millions of fans are surely thrilled to see The Voice coach standing up for what she believes in and not allowing anyone to lose their human rights. The star will definitely get plenty of donations, making the world a better place for trans youth all over the country.
Source: Ariana Grande/ Instagram
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