Drag telethon raises over $500,000 in support of LGBTQ+ community

The Drag Isn't Dangerous digital event aimed to raise funds for LGBTQ+ causes amid rising anti-drag and anti-trans sentiments in the US.

News . Written by Beatrice Fanucci.

Photo from the Drag Isn't Dangerous digital event, with drag queens and hosts answering the calls by donors.
Image: Via Twitter - Jacob Ritts, @PopCrave

The Drag Isn’t Dangerous telethon held on the evening of May 7 raised over half a million dollars for the LGBTQ+ community amid rising anti-drag and anti-trans sentiments in the US.

With an incredible lineup of drag artists and other celebrities, the telethon raised a total of $523,000 in the nearly five hours in which it aired on Sunday evening. The digital event took place in two separate locations, where drag and Broadway sensation Peppermint and comedian Justin Martindale oversaw the live phone bank while Drag Race All Stars champion Alaska and award-winning director Adam Shankman were busy hosting a second stage full of amazing performances and powerful conversations.

Throughout the night, the co-hosts invited big names and all-star allies to join them in a bid to raise funds for and awareness of LGBTQ+ causes at a time when an increasing number of Republican legislatures in the US are passing laws targeting the drag and trans communities.

 

Answering phone calls from the night’s donors were drag icons such as Ginger Minj, Laganja Estranja, Monét X Change, Trinity The Tuck, Johnny Sibilly, Kerri Colby, Tammie Brown, Jai Rodriguez and Jinkx Monsoon. They delighted the audience with their humour and with pre-taped video messages from the likes of Charlize Theron, Billy Eichner, Michelle Visage, Cheri Oteri, Sasha Colby, Jesse Eisenberg and Elizabeth Banks, to name a few.

And if this wasn’t enough, they also added in live and pre-taped performances from other celebs like Idina Menzel, Peaches, Trixie Mattel and Bob the Drag Queen.

 

Thanking all donors on the GoFundMe page after the event, the organisers wrote: “WE MADE IT TO HALF A MILLION! Thanks to your generosity we were able to raise over half a million dollars for the Drag Isn’t Dangerous fund to gift our beneficiaries to combat this rash of harmful anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation. Tonight you showed the world the power of community, of kindness, of love. Each and every one of you has made a difference by donating to Drag Isn’t Dangerous.”

People who wish to donate can still do so on the GoFundMe, which, at the time of writing, has reached $566,825. Moreover, people who wish to purchase the replay of the digital event still have a few hours to do so at this link.

 

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