Pop Princess Chappell Roan is Paying It Forward

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Gen-Z’s pop princess and lesbian icon, Chappell Roan, has launched a non-profit called ‘The Midwest Princess Project’.

The initiative raises money for charities that support trans youths and LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States. The project has already raised over $400,000 from Roan’s recent pop up shows supporting her newest single, ‘The Subway’.

The GLO Center, based in Roan’s home state, is one of the organisations The Midwest Princess Project is supporting. They said Roan’s ‘generosity’ helps them to ‘continue building a safe, affirming space for our community’.

Roan has consistently used her platform to spread the message of queer joy, community and empowerment. She employed local drag queens to open her shows on tour, and publicly declined performing at the White House to call for trans and women’s rights, and liberty and justice for all on her own stage instead.

On her website, Roan said: “I value supporting the communities that have been instrumental in my journey.

”Unlike most celebrity activism, which is oftentimes stale and disingenuous, Roan’s efforts seem to come from a genuine willingness to better her communities and give back to her fans.

Some celebrities adopt LGBTQ+ culture iconography, yet fail to utilise their voice and pay back the communities they borrow their visuals and marketing tactics from.

Even though there are plenty of straight and cisgender celebrities who have founded LGBTQ charities and organisations, it’s more likely to see LGBTQ celebrities or those with an abundance of gay fans who put in the work to improve their communities.

These include both musical legends and fresh in the face actors, like the fabulous Elton John and heartthrob Jonathan Bailey.

Elton John founded the Elton John Aids Foundation in 1992 with the mission to ‘increase access to health care, tackle LGBTQ+ stigma, and end AIDS. The nonprofit organisation is the third largest philanthropic funder of HIV programmes that support LGBTQ+ communities.

The most similar to Roan’s own project is Jonathon Bailey’s The Shameless Fund. The organisation raises money for both international and national LGBTQ+ non-profits through brand collaborations.

Despite these charities being personal to these celebrities, there is still some caution surrounding any type of celebrity activism. Can it ever be truly genuine? Or is it just always a PR move for some self-promotion?

Progress for LGBTQ+ rights and support has become unbearably bleak, with the occasional win overshadowed by the terrible losses. However, these initiatives and Roan’s new project show that there’s still hope yet, and that there will always be someone there to hold out a helping hand to those who need one.

Edited by Gabriella Whiston