Grammy-winner Megan Thee Stallion was announced as the Trevor Project’s Mental Health Champion award winner this past week. According to Out, the press release claims the award “recognizes influential public figures who use their platform to advocate for mental health awareness and issues impacting LGBTQ+ young people.”
The sex-positive, openly bisexual rapper is no stranger to talking openly about her mental health struggles. Songs like “Cobra,” and “Anxiety” are just a few which deal with her personal battles with depression, loss, stress, and suicidal ideation to name a few.
Megan is the founder of a nonprofit organization called the Pete and Thomas Foundation that works directly to empower women, children, the elderly, and disadvantaged communities in Houston, Texas. Additionally, the organization, named after her late parents, has a worldwide initiative towards health, wellness, and housing. Just a few of the programs listed on their website include hurricane relief, Black girl joy, community goodwill, and “Hotties Helping,” which provides resources on how people can give back to their communities.
Besides her foundation, Megan also launched an online mental health resource called BadBitchesHaveBadDaysToo.com, named after a line from her aforementioned song, “Anxiety.” This resource specifically highlights LGBTQ+ community helplines such as the Trevor Project.
After announcing her sincere honor to receive the award, the rapper said, “My goal has always been to use my platform to help break stigmas around mental health and provide resources for those seeking safe spaces to have honest and heartfelt conversations. Mental health impacts all of us, so it’s important to lead with love and empathy. I’m grateful for organizations like The Trevor Project that are committed to spreading awareness and supporting our LGBTQ+ youth in powerful ways.”
Work like this is incredibly important, especially considering the vast number of LGBTQ+ youth who struggle with mental health issues. With black LGBTQ+ youth being at the highest level of mental health and suicide risks—the Trevor Project finding that 44% of queer black youth seriously considered suicide within the past year. It is instrumental that advocates like Megan Thee Stallion are highlighted for their work on helping decrease this number, especially in the black community.
Photo courtesy of social media
