(Screenshot from MTV’s YouTube of Sabrina Carpenter’s MTV VMA’s 2025 performance via MTV/YouTube)
Sabrina Carpenter performed at MTV’s Video Music Awards Sept. 7, performing with “Drag Race” stars and other LGBTQ+ dancers while supporting trans rights.
Carpenter used her time at the 2025 VMA’s to show support to the transgender community. Throughout the performance of Carpenter’s single “Tears” from her new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” the dancers carried protest signs with sayings like “Protect Trans Rights” and “In Trans We Trust.”
Her performance featured “Drag Race” fan favorites Laganja Estranja, Lexi Love, Willam, Denali and Symone.
Honey Balenciaga, a resident dancer on Beyonce’s Renaissance and Cowboy Carter tours, was another prominent dancer during the show. Another notable performer, Dashaun Wesley, host of the voguing competition series “Legendary” was also included in the performance.
During the show when Carpenter was in an onstage phone booth singing, the dancers and queens took center stage holding protest signs. Some of the signs included remarks like “We are everywhere / Respect your mother,” “If you hate you’ll never get laid” and “Brace for change.”
Carpenter took home the Best Album award and mentioned discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in her speech.
“To my incredible cast and dancers and my queens on stage with me tonight: This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity. So to get to be part of something … that can bring you light, make you smile, make you dance … I’m so grateful to do that,” Carpenter shared.
