Love Letters to the LGBTQ Community: Read the Notes From MUNA, Joy Oladokun & More

Since LGBTQ people began celebrating June as Pride Month in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, there has always been reason to speak up for the LGBTQ community. Whether that was in protest of discrimination and mistreatment or in celebration of queer and trans people’s resilience in the face of injustice, Pride Month stands today as a time of emphatic self-actualization for LGBTQ people.

This year, that spirit of rebellion is even more needed. In merely five months, 2023 has already become the worst year on record in the United States for anti-LGBTQ legislation, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) tracking nearly 500 bills targeting the community. Spanning a wide range of issues — from banning gender-affirming care for trans youth, to trampling free expression in schools to outlawing public performances that incorporate drag — 46 states have proposed bills aimed at limiting the freedoms of queer and especially trans people.

In 2017 and 2018, back when the current wave of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric was still in its nascent stages, Billboard reached out to various luminaries from the music world to share words of encouragement for the LGBTQ community through a series of love letters. Superstars like Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez and dozens of others penned notes, sharing their support and admiration for their queer fans.

With so much at stake this year, Billboard decided to bring back our Love Letters to the LGBTQ Community initiative. Below, you’ll find 13 new notes, penned by stars like MUNA, Rebecca Black, Icona Pop and more, followed by a selection of letters from years past.