Ariana Grande, Jamie Lee Curtis, Pedro Pascal and more than 100 other Hollywood figures and entertainers signed an open letter Monday denouncing the proposal to eliminate federal funding for the social program behind the suicide prevention hotline for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.
“As artists, creators and public figures, our platforms come with responsibility,” the letter began. “And today, that responsibility is clear: we must speak out to protect the mental health and lives of LGBTQ+ youth. We will not stay silent.”
“This is about people, not politics. 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,” the letter continued. “Stripping away this lifeline leaves LGBTQ+ youth with the message that their lives are not worth saving. We refuse to accept that message. We call on the administration and Congress to do the right thing: restore and protect funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.”
The group’s response comes after queer-youth and suicide-prevention nonprofit The Trevor Project released a message sharing that it is on the verge of having $25 million in federal funding stripped from its 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services.
Also among the prominent signatories were Nathan Lane, Daniel Radcliffe, Sabrina Carpenter, Sarah Paulson, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade and “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness.
The letter noted the power that comes with having a large platform in entertainment and on social media and using it to support those who have traditionally been silenced or overlooked.
“We also recognize the consequential impact we can have on showing LGBTQ+ young people possibility models,” the letter continues. “Telling stories about the diverse tapestry of humanity is what makes art powerful, and representation can be life-saving. 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.”
As the message concluded, the group encouraged LGBTQ+ youth and informed them they won’t give up the fight.
“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,” the letter reads as it comes to a close. “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.”
It continued: “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.”
President Donald Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act back on Oct. 17, 2020. The move designated the 988 as the nationwide phone number.
Read the full letter here and below:
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. 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. We will not stay silent.
Since its launch in 2022, this program has connected nearly 1.3 million crisis contacts with life-saving, affirming care to LGBTQ+ young people during their most vulnerable moments. Suicide among LGBTQ+ youth is a public health crisis, and it should be treated as such. LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people in the United States seriously consider suicide each year — and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds.
This is about people, not politics. 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. We call on the administration and Congress to do the right thing: restore and protect funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.
We also recognize the consequential impact we can have on showing LGBTQ+ young people possibility models. Telling stories about the diverse tapestry of humanity is what makes art powerful, and representation can be life-saving. 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.
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. You can join us by signing The Trevor Project’s petition at TRVR.org/Save988.
