Sabrina Carpenter made a loud statement at this year’s 2025 MTV VMAs, advocating for trans and queer rights during a performance of her new single “Tears”.

The singer was joined on stage by a lineup of Drag Race royalty, including Symone, Willam, Denali, Laganja Estranja and Lexi Love, as well as ballroom icons Dashaun Wesley and Honey Balenciaga. Together, the group transformed the performance into an act of protest, brandishing placards with slogans like “In trans we trust”, “Support local drag”, “Protect trans rights”, and “If you hate you’ll never get laid.”

The show was an act of solidarity, as LGBTQ+ communities in the US face a wave of political attacks. Donald Trump’s return to the White House has brought a series of regressive policies, from attempting to restrict access to accurate federal identity documents, like passports, to erasing references to “gender ideology” from government websites. Most recently, a proposed restriction on trans people owning firearms – a move condemned by the NRA – has intensified a campaign of targeted hostility.

Carpenter took home a VMA for Best Album for her 2024 record Short’n’Sweet. In her speech, she thanked the performers who shared the stage with her. “To my queens,” she said, “this world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity. So to get to be part of something so… more often than not, that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance, and make you feel like the world is yours… I’m so grateful. So grateful to do that.”

The singer recently came under fire for the cover of her new album, Man’s Best Friend, which features her on her knees, with a faceless man holding a fistful of her hair. Critics accused her of being anti-feminist or promoting sexual violence against women. In a recent interview with CBS Mornings, Carpenter addressed the criticism, and suggested that people needed to “get out more”. 

“[I interpret it as] being in on the control, being in on your lack of control, and when you want to be in control,” she explained. “As a young woman, you’re just aware of when you’re in control as when you’re not… For me, this whole album was about the humanity of allowing yourself to make those mistakes, knowing when you’re putting yourself in a situation that will probably end up poorly. But it’s going to teach you something, so there were a lot of different meanings.”

Watch the performance in full above.