Lady Gaga used her acceptance speech at the 2025 Grammy Awards to express her support for the transgender community after Trump issued new executive orders rolling back transgender rights.
In his first week as President, Trump rolled back a number of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives and reinstated policy to restrict transgender military service.
Gaga took to the stage at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles after winning the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance accolade for her collaboration with Bruno Mars on “Die With A Smile”.
Accepting the award, the singer said: “It is a privilege to be a songwriter and a producer, a musician, such an honour to sing for all of you.
“And I just want to say tonight that trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you.”
On the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Chappell Roan also defended the trans community: “Trans people have always existed and will forever exist and they will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away,” the Best New Artist Grammy winner told reporters.
“I would not be here without trans girls,” she continued. “So just know that I’m trying my best to stand up for you in every way that I can.”
Last week, Madonna also condemned Trump’s administration for “dismantling all the freedoms” of LGBT+ people.
“It’s so sad to watch our new government slowly dismantling all the freedoms we have been fighting for and WON over the years,” the pop icon wrote, on Instagram, adding a rainbow flag emoji.
“Don’t give up the fight!” she added.Her message landed shortly after Trump signed a new executive order titled “Prioritising Military Excellence and Readiness” that restricts military service by transgender people.
The order reinstates a controversial policy from Trump’s first term, which was rescinded by Joe Biden in 2021 to allow trans people to enlist in the military and serve openly.
Another has directed federal agencies to rescind policies that support or acknowledge gender-affirming healthcare for transgender Americans.
The policy – which targets the prescription of puberty blockers, hormone therapies and affirming surgeries for anyone under 19 years old – labels gender-affirming care “mutilation”.
Major medical organisations including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics stress that affirming healthcare guidelines are clinically appropriate for trans youth experiencing gender dysphoria.
Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson said in a statement: “Everyone deserves the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions for themselves and their families — no matter your income, ZIP code, or health coverage.”
