Sabrina Carpenter stages trans rights protest in VMAs performance

Carpenter has made allyship part of her mission, launching The Sabrina Carpenter Fund in conjunction with her 2024 Short ‘N’ Sweet tour. A dollar from every ticket sale went towards the fund, which raised over $1 million in less than a year for mental health, animal welfare, and LGBTQ+ rights organizations through PLUS1. She also partnered with HeadCount to register over 35,000 new voters while on tour. Speaking with Forbes about The Sabrina Carpenter Fund in June, the pop star said, “As Pride comes to a close, I want to send so much love to my LGBTQ+ fans. You’ve always shown up for me, and I’m committed to showing up for you. Thank you for always uplifting me, making me laugh and showing so many how special it is to be authentically yourself, always.”

Following her performance, Carpenter went on to win the VMA for Best Album. In her acceptance speech, she shouted out her “incredible cast, my dancers, and my queens on stage with me tonight,” which included RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants Denali, Willam, Symone, Laganja Estranja and Lexi Love, as well as Legendary host Dashaun Wesley and competitor and Honey Balenciaga. “This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity,” Carpenter said. “So to get to be part of something so often, more than not, that is something that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance, and make you feel like the world is your fucking oyster, I am so grateful. So grateful to do that.”