06:00, 09 June 2025
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
It’s Pride Month, which means everyone and their mother are crawling out of the woodwork, throwing on a rainbow T-Shirt, and heading down to Pride. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this, at Smiley News we also know that the need for support is there all year round, especially in the charity world, not just in June.
That’s why, in honour of Pride Month, we have put together a list of celebrities who keep making headlines for supporting LGBTQ+ charities.
How could we not mention the queen herself? Since rocketing to fame in record time, Chappell has used her platform to champion causes she cares about, especially those connected to the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2023, a portion of ticket sales from her tour was donated to For The Gworls, a charity which helps Black, Trans people through financial assistance. Additionally, Chappell links to For The Gworls, The Trevor Project, and Glo Center, all of which are charities which support the LGBTQ+ community, on her website, saying: “I value supporting the communities that have been instrumental in my journey! That’s why I’m committed to give [sic.] back through volunteer work, donation, and benefit shows.”
You may have spotted that we named Pedro Pascal our first ever Positive Icon last week, in part because of his dedication to the LGBTQ+, and particularly Trans, communities.
We think he also deserves a shoutout for his donations which are positively impacting the LGBTQ+ community; specifically, for purchasing and popularising the ‘Protect The Dolls’ shirt, where all funds go charity Trans Lifeline.
Whether you know her as the ‘wee lesbian’ from Derry Girls, or Penelope from Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan has charmed the world with her wit - and her gorgeous accent.
Recently, however, she has made headlines for speaking up for the rights of transgender people, and leading the charge organising fundraisers to protect this marginalised community. She has even personally matched donations up to £10,000, proving she is willing to go the extra mile for the LGBTQ+ community.
Is Elton John the most famous gay musician in the world? Well, we can’t answer that question. What we can do is tell you that he has done a huge amount for the LGBTQ+ community, including setting up The Elton John Aids Foundation, dedicated to ending AIDS, an illness which disproportionately affects the LGBTQ+ community.
Additionally, in 2007 he and his husband David Furnish set up The Elton John Charitable Trust, allowing them to make donations to 100s of charities, outside the world of HIV/AIDS.
Ariana has always been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and has used her voice time and time again to create positive change.
She is also no stranger to making huge donations, and encouraging her fans to do the same. Most notably, three years ago on International Transgender Day of Visibility, she agreed to match donations up to the tune of $1.5 million to be equally divided between 18 different charities supporting transgender people.
Daniel has been an incredibly vocal supporter of the Trevor Project, regularly collaborating with them, as well as donating personally. Even as a very young adult, he was vocal in his support for the LGBTQ+ community, and his ‘loathing’ for homophobia.
Additionally, Daniel, alongside Ariana Grande, Pedro Pascal and many more celebs, signed an open letter written by the Trevor Project, calling to protect US funding for LGBTQ+ suicide hotlines.
He also recently donated a signed photograph to an auction supporting the fight against book bans, many of which are related to the LGBTQ+ community.
Billy’s lifelong dedication to the LGBTQ+ community has meant that, at the height of his career, he is able to support LGBTQ+ youth, especially at the intersection of BIPOC people, often in the creative industries.
They personally support the Audacity Project, helping LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth in the entertainment industry and, also through the Entertainment Industry Foundation, have set up the Billy Porter Fund. This Fund is also aimed at LGBTQ+ youth, helping them to get a foothold in the entertainment and creative industries.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
MindOut. An award winning LGBTQ community mental health service based in Brighton; run by LGBTQ people, for LGBTQ people. Learn more here.
Switchboard. They provide an information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual and trans people – and anyone considering issues around their sexuality and/or gender identity. Support them here.
LGBT Hero. LGBT HERO is the national health and wellbeing charity for LGBTQ+ people supporting over 100,000 people a month. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Reduced Inequalities and Partnership for the Goals.
