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LGBTQ+ Artists Raised a Middle Finger to Bigotry & Erasure at the 2025 Grammys: Op-Ed

LGBTQ+ artists scored huge wins at the 2025 Grammys in spite of a series of demoralizing political events. Here's why that matters.

That outpouring of love and support could not come at a more crucial moment; in the 14 days since he took office for a second term, President Donald Trump has effectively codified his backwards, bigoted views on LGBTQ+ people into a series of regressive executive actions. To put it plainly: The current right-wing political ecosystem, led by Trump’s administration, is attempting to erase the LGBTQ+ community from participation in public life, starting with trans and gender-diverse people. “When LGBTQ+ young people see themselves reflected and celebrated on a global stage like the Grammys, it sends a powerful message that they belong, their experiences matter, and that they can succeed in spaces as their true, authentic selves,” said Kevin Wong, the Trevor Project’s senior vice president of marketing, communications and content, in a statement shared with Billboard.

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