Ariana Grande & Pedro Pascal among 100 celebrities asking Congress to save LGBTQ+ youth 988 hotline
Over 100 celebrities have signed an open letter to the Trump Administration and Congress urging them not to eliminate funding for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services.
A leaked budget draft, first obtained by The Washington Post in April, shows the Trump administration’s plans to eliminate all funding for the federal program, which provides emergency crisis support to LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide. The cuts are set to go into effect October 1.
The Trevor Project has now issued a letter calling on lawmakers save the program in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. It includes signatures from Ariana Grande, Pedro Pascal, Daniel Radcliffe, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dua Lipa, Sabrina Carpenter, Cara Delevingne, Christina Aguilera, Troye Sivan, Alan Cumming, Kelsea Ballerini, Tove Lo, Sophia Bush, Josh Hutcherson, Jonathan Van Ness, and many more.
“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 states. “Stripping away this lifeline leaves LGBTQ+ youth with the message that their lives are not worth saving. We refuse to accept that message.”
The Trevor Project estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. seriously consider suicide each year, and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds. The LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services, funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, has provided more than 1.2 million people with queer-inclusive crisis services, and the 988 Lifeline has served more than 14 million, government data shows.
The Trevor Project’s crisis services saw a 33 percent increase in calls and messages on the day of Trump’s inauguration compared to the weeks prior. Volume went up 46 percent the next day in comparison to typical daily rates. This followed a record-breaking 700 percent increase observed across the Trevor Project’s crisis lines on November 6, the day after the presidential election.
“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 continues. “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.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
