More than one hundred public figures have signed an open letter to ask the United States Government not to cut funding for suicide prevention among LGTBIQ+ youth. The budget threat has unleashed a groundswell of support led by The Trevor Project.
What’s happening with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline?
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is an emergency telephone service that offers emotional and psychological support 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Since its creation in 2022, it has been a key tool for thousands of young people in a crisis situation, especially within the LGTBIQ+ collective.
However, everything could change. A leaked draft of the US federal budget for fiscal year 2026 suggests that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to eliminate the $50 million allocated specifically to the services that this program offers to LGTBIQ+ people.
The possible elimination of these funds has set off alarm bells. It’s not just about numbers: we’re talking about a resource that, according to The Trevor Project, has saved lives. And it could stop being available when it is needed most.
Celebrities who won’t shut up
The response was immediate. Celebrities such as Pedro Pascal, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, Daniel Radcliffe, Jamie Lee Curtis and Troye Sivan, among others, have signed an open letter demanding the protection of this budget. His message is clear: “It’s about people, not politics.”
The letter also underlines what is at stake. “These cuts will have devastating and potentially deadly consequences for young LGBT people across the country,” the signatories warn. It is not a minor warning. According to recent data, more than 1.8 million LGTBIQ+ youth seriously consider suicide each year in the United States, and at least one attempts it every 45 seconds.
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The urgency of a system that listens
Jaymes Black, executive director of The Trevor Project, has publicly thanked celebrities for their support. But he wanted to go further: “LGTBIQ+ young people navigate a world that too often tells them that they do not belong to it.” And that leaves scars, especially in mental health.
The petition puts an uncomfortable question on the table: what responsibility does a government have when it stops financing an essential service for a vulnerable population? Can we talk about budget neutrality when the lives at stake have a name, a face and a history?
Can a letter change the course?
Famous voices can generate media attention, yes. But are they enough to stop a public policy? There are those who point out that these kinds of gestures, although necessary, run the risk of remaining symbolic if they are not translated into real legislative pressure. Furthermore, the participation of artists can divert the focus from the real problem: the lack of political commitment to the mental health and rights of LGTBIQ+ youth. Are we letting ourselves be impressed by names and forgetting to demand results?
