LGBTQ+ ally, Britney Spears. (Getty)
Princess of pop Britney Spears is paying back her LGBTQ+ fans for their devotion by helping to raise funds for young queer people in crisis.
To mark Valentine’s Day (14 February), Britney teamed up with New York City coffee shop Glace to release her own sweet treat.
The “Toxic” singer helped create The Britney Brûlée, with 20 per cent of the profits going to The Trevor Project, which provides support services for young LGBTQ+ people, and is the leading suicide prevention organisation for queer youth in the US.
As anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment increases in the US, with several states working to ban gender-affirming healthcare for young trans people, the work of The Trevor Project has grown even more vital.
Last year, the organisation released data which indicated that, on average, two in every five young LGBTQ+ people seriously considered taking their own life between 2022 and 2023. More than two-thirds also reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety, and more than 50 per cent said they had suffered with depression.
Britney has been vocal about her own mental health struggles following the 13 years trapped in a conservatorship overseen by her father. Throughout the ups and downs of her career, she has been able to count on support from the LGBTQ+ community.
Writing in her memoir, The Woman In Me, last year, the singer acknowledged the love she’s always felt from her queer friends and fans.
“For me, it’s all about love – unconditional love,” she wrote. “My gay friends were always protective of me, maybe because they knew I was kind of innocent. Not dumb, but way too kind. A lot of the gay guys around me took on a supportive role.”
Following the news of her support for The Trevor Project, Britney’s fans have continued celebrating her status as an LGBTQ+ ally.
“Thank you for existing and making a great contribution to the benefit of those who do not have much of a voice. With yours, you save many lives. That’s why I reaffirm my love for you, great Britney,” one fan wrote on social media.
A second said: “The lovely singer Britney Spears choosing to support the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention [not-for-profit] organisation for LGBTQ young people, just warms my heart this Valentine’s Day.”
Suicide is preventable. Readers in the UK who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact the Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.