Paul Feig Donates $300,000 to Queer Youth Organizations as LGBTQ Rights Are Attacked Under Trump: ‘I Can't Sit Idly By' (EXCLUSIVE)
The 'A Simple Favor' and 'Bridesmaids' director and his wife Laurie have donated $300,000 to three queer youth advocacy and support organizations: The Trevor Project, Translifeline.org and It Gets Better.
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'In recent weeks we have witnessed the dismantling of crucial protections for the health and safety of the LGBTQ+ community and, particularly, the transgender community,' Feig tells me exclusively. 'I can't sit idly by and watch as my friends, colleagues and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole — our fellow citizens — are stripped of their rights. We should all do whatever is within our power and our means to ensure that every member of the LGBTQ+ gets the support and protections to which they are entitled. I hope that these contributions will help the teams at The Trevor Project, Translifeline.org and It Gets Better to keep doing the life-saving work they do every day.'
The donations come after it was reported that the Trump administration is ordering the removal of transgender troops from the U.S. military. One of Trump's first executive order stated that the government only recognizes two sexes, male and female, and has removed references to trans people and gender-affirming care from websites and databases. These and other anti-trans policies and directives are facing legal challengers from LGBTQ rights organizations and individuals.
The Trevor Project is an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention hotline while the Trans Lifeline is a hotline that offers emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis. It Gets Better works to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ youth around the globe by sharing and amplifying stories about queer adults.
In a statement to Variety, Translifeline.org director of development Myles Markham said, 'In a year where anti-trans sentiment and federal marginalization is at an all time high, support and generosity for our community from powerful storytellers like Paul couldn't be more timely or valuable. Contributions like this not only mean critical services will reach more folks in need, they also send a message of hope and possibility to the tens of thousands of trans youth and adults feeling the doom and despair that comes with our current administration's rhetoric and policy.'
Kevin Wong, senior vice president of marketing, communications and content at The Trevor Project, said, 'We are incredibly grateful for the generous donation we received from Paul Feig to support our life-saving work at The Trevor Project. Our research estimates that every 45 seconds, at least one LGBTQ+ young person in the U.S. attempts suicide. This gift will bolster our crisis counselors' ability to support the increase in young people who are reaching out with fears about how the current barrage of negative political news will impact their lives. Our work is about people, not politics.'
It Gets Better executive director Brian Wenke said they were 'incredibly grateful for the Feigs' 'generous donation.'
'At a time when LGBTQ+ youth face relentless challenges, this support strengthens our commitment to uplifting their voices and ensuring they have the resources to thrive,' Wenke said. 'Paul's storytelling has long resonated with our community, a reminder that representation isn't just visibility — it's power. With this support, we remain focused on building a world where LGBTQ+ young people feel seen, supported, and can recognize their own limitless potential.'
Feig's latest film, 'Another Simple Favor' will premiere at SXSW on opening night next week March 7 in Austin followed by its release on Amazon Prime Video on May 1. 'The Housemaid,' starring Sydney Sweeney, and Amanda Seyfried based on the hugely popular book of the same name, opens at Christmas.
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