Elton John Links Legacy to New Impact Awards, Urges Queer Communities to Resist Growing Political Hostility
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 03: Elton John speaks onstage during the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City.Photo Credit: (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame )
by Chris Tremblay Jun 2
7 MIN READ
There is, as Out magazine notes, “no living legend quite like Elton John,” and this Pride season the 77-year-old artist is using that stature to link his legacy to an urgent warning about rising political “hostility” toward LGBTQ+ communities. In an exclusive interview about the new Elton John Impact Awards, John stresses that the awards are not a nostalgia project but a response to what he calls a growing backlash, with rights being rolled back, funding cut, and already vulnerable communities made even more precarious.
The Impact Awards, produced with iHeartMedia and Procter & Gamble , will debut June 1 as a podcast series and audio special, positioning queer storytelling and visibility at the center of that response. John and his husband David Furnish frame the project as both a celebration of trailblazers and a call to resist efforts to dismantle the health, cultural, and advocacy systems LGBTQ+ communities built in the shadow of the AIDS crisis.
In mid-May, iHeartMedia and P&G announced the inaugural Elton John Impact Awards, describing it as a first-of-its-kind podcast awards ceremony honoring “trailblazing LGBTQ+ community members and prominent allies.” Hosted by actor and musician Billy Porter alongside radio personality Elvis Duran, the series will stream on the iHeartRadio app and across all major podcast platforms, while also airing as an audio special on iHeartRadio PRIDE stations on June 1, aligning the launch with the start of Pride Month.
The awards aim to “drive visibility and funding” for organizations that support LGBTQ+ communities, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation, CenterLink, GLAAD, the National Black Justice Coalition, Outright International, SAGE, and The Trevor Project. These groups collectively address issues from LGBTQ+ elder care and mental health for young people to international human-rights advocacy and access to preventative health services, situating the podcast as more than a celebrity showcase.
The first cohort of honorees reflects a cross-section of LGBTQ+ identities and allies whose work spans entertainment, sports, and grassroots philanthropy. Honorees include actor Jonathan Bailey, transgender advocate and actor Laverne Cox, musician Melissa Etheridge, tennis legend Billie Jean King, country performer Orville Peck, and pop artist Chappell Roan, each recognized for weaving LGBTQ+ advocacy into their public roles.
Bailey is praised for launching The Shameless Fund to support LGBTQ+ charities, while Cox is cited for elevating transgender visibility in mainstream media and maintaining a strong voice for equality and inclusion. Etheridge’s decades of personal storytelling and advocacy, King’s lifelong fight for gender and LGBTQ+ equality in and beyond sports, Peck’s queer-centered reimagining of country aesthetics, and Roan’s founding of The Midwest Princess Project to support transgender youth round out a roster the organizers explicitly describe as “legendary” and “iconic.”
In the Out interview, Furnish notes that these honorees “used their platform at a moment when it would have been easier not to,” emphasizing that the Impact Awards prioritize sustained public authenticity over mere celebrity. He points to the effect of such visibility on young LGBTQ+ people navigating their identities, arguing that seeing people live “their truth publicly and consistently” can be life-changing.
John is explicit about why this project is debuting now. In the Out interview, he describes the current climate by saying, “The hostility is real and it is growing,” warning that LGBTQ+ rights are being rolled back and funding is being cut while vulnerable communities become even more exposed.
“This is not a moment for silence or looking away,” John says, framing the Impact Awards as “one way of saying clearly – we are here, we are proud, and we are not going away.” He adds that art and visibility “have always been part of how this community survives,” linking queer creativity not only to cultural impact but to survival in the face of legislative attacks and public scapegoating.
Furnish echoes that sense of urgency, saying the couple is “focused on protecting what the LGBTQ+ community built, because most people don't know they built it,” with special emphasis on the role gay men played in transforming modern medicine during the AIDS crisis. He explains that activists pushed for faster access to life-saving drugs, forced their way into scientific conversations, and created community-based care models that are now standard practice, warning that this legacy is “under threat” from funding cuts, criminalization, and political hostility.
John’s and Furnish’s comments come against the backdrop of more than three decades of work by the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which is both a beneficiary and a partner of the Impact Awards. Founded in 1992, the foundation describes its mission as ending the AIDS epidemic, with a focus on overcoming stigma, discrimination, and neglect that block access to testing, prevention, and treatment.
According to iHeartMedia’s background notes on the awards, since 2020 the foundation has made more than 55 grants and invested over $23 million in programs across 47 countries, supporting a range of local experts and organizations on four continents. Furnish calls the Impact Awards a way to spotlight “the vital work of organizations protecting LGBTQ+ communities and advancing health equity around the world,” stating that such investment has “never been more urgent” as LGBTQ+ rights and health equity are challenged globally.
In the Out conversation, Furnish underscores that ending AIDS “is still possible” because “the science has never been better,” but cautions that “the systems and communities built to deliver it have to survive first.” He characterizes the foundation’s work as a fight to keep those community-built systems alive amid political pressure, aligning the awards with broader efforts to defend both public health infrastructure and LGBTQ+ dignity.
For John, storytelling is the connective tissue between his career, the Impact Awards, and the current wave of hostility. In the press announcement, he is quoted as saying he has “always believed in the power of storytelling to connect us and challenge us,” describing the new series as a way to bring together people who have shaped LGBTQ+ culture and “fought for dignity at a time when the world too often looked away.”
John calls the honorees’ stories “deeply humbling” and insists that “this is history that cannot be forgotten and these are voices that must be heard,” suggesting that archiving and amplifying queer narratives is itself part of resisting political erasure. The audio format, which includes candid conversations between John, Furnish, and each honoree, aims to give listeners what organizers describe as “behind the scenes” access to the challenges and defining moments that shaped each person’s life.
In his Out interview, John directs a specific message to young LGBTQ+ artists: “Be yourself. That is the best advice I can give to any young person. Do not be afraid of who you are. Celebrate it, be courageous, and step out into the world as only you can. We need you.” The emphasis on courage, celebration, and “queer joy” positions authenticity as a form of resistance, echoing Furnish’s assertion that “living openly and unapologetically is a form of resistance in itself.”
Although John is widely honored for his decades-long musical career, the interview makes clear that he sees his most important legacy in different terms. Asked how he hopes people will celebrate his life, he answers that if his children are happy and know he “gave everything” to support and love them, “that is enough,” describing fatherhood and building a family with Furnish as what will “always matter most.”
At the same time, John acknowledges the “great privilege” of having been honored for his music and says he tries to pass a sense of opportunity to “rising artists who will become the legends of tomorrow,” reinforcing the intergenerational dimension of the Impact Awards. In framing the awards as both an archive and a baton-pass, John and Furnish position legacy not as a static monument but as something actively used to shore up communities under pressure.
Corporate partners are also foregrounding the awards’ political context, even as they focus on storytelling and celebration. Gayle Troberman of iHeartMedia says the company is “honored to partner with Elton John and P&G” to share the honorees’ stories, and argues that doing so helps “showcase what’s possible when we use our voice to support the organizations on the ground delivering critical support to those in need.”
Brent Miller of P&G states that the company is “proud to celebrate these cultural icons and community organizations” that inspire and support people globally, saying their efforts help “create a world where equality and inclusion are achievable for all.” He adds that honorees use their gifts “in the arts, athletics or community impact” to inspire others with “hope, action and impact,” suggesting a deliberate alignment between corporate messaging and the awards’ emphasis on resilience amid hostility.
Taken together, John’s comments and the structure of the Impact Awards articulate a strategy for facing what he calls a growing swell of political hostility: elevating queer and allied voices, shoring up frontline organizations, and insisting on joy and visibility even under threat. Furnish tells Out that the honorees prove “visibility changes things,” presenting their lives as evidence that open, unapologetic living can shift culture, policy, and individual possibility.
For queer people and allies listening in, the message is straightforward but urgent: this is not the time to retreat. In John’s words, “We are not giving up, and I hope you won’t either,” a reminder that his legacy—as he defines it—rests not only on past hits or past activism, but on whether communities today continue to stand up to hostility and defend what previous generations built.
A new platform for Pride season
In mid-May, iHeartMedia and P&G announced the inaugural Elton John Impact Awards, describing it as a first-of-its-kind podcast awards ceremony honoring “trailblazing LGBTQ+ community members and prominent allies.” Hosted by actor and musician Billy Porter alongside radio personality Elvis Duran, the series will stream on the iHeartRadio app and across all major podcast platforms, while also airing as an audio special on iHeartRadio PRIDE stations on June 1, aligning the launch with the start of Pride Month.
The awards aim to “drive visibility and funding” for organizations that support LGBTQ+ communities, including the Elton John AIDS Foundation, CenterLink, GLAAD, the National Black Justice Coalition, Outright International, SAGE, and The Trevor Project. These groups collectively address issues from LGBTQ+ elder care and mental health for young people to international human-rights advocacy and access to preventative health services, situating the podcast as more than a celebrity showcase.
Honoring a new generation of icons
The first cohort of honorees reflects a cross-section of LGBTQ+ identities and allies whose work spans entertainment, sports, and grassroots philanthropy. Honorees include actor Jonathan Bailey, transgender advocate and actor Laverne Cox, musician Melissa Etheridge, tennis legend Billie Jean King, country performer Orville Peck, and pop artist Chappell Roan, each recognized for weaving LGBTQ+ advocacy into their public roles.
Bailey is praised for launching The Shameless Fund to support LGBTQ+ charities, while Cox is cited for elevating transgender visibility in mainstream media and maintaining a strong voice for equality and inclusion. Etheridge’s decades of personal storytelling and advocacy, King’s lifelong fight for gender and LGBTQ+ equality in and beyond sports, Peck’s queer-centered reimagining of country aesthetics, and Roan’s founding of The Midwest Princess Project to support transgender youth round out a roster the organizers explicitly describe as “legendary” and “iconic.”
In the Out interview, Furnish notes that these honorees “used their platform at a moment when it would have been easier not to,” emphasizing that the Impact Awards prioritize sustained public authenticity over mere celebrity. He points to the effect of such visibility on young LGBTQ+ people navigating their identities, arguing that seeing people live “their truth publicly and consistently” can be life-changing.
“The hostility is real and it is growing”
John is explicit about why this project is debuting now. In the Out interview, he describes the current climate by saying, “The hostility is real and it is growing,” warning that LGBTQ+ rights are being rolled back and funding is being cut while vulnerable communities become even more exposed.
“This is not a moment for silence or looking away,” John says, framing the Impact Awards as “one way of saying clearly – we are here, we are proud, and we are not going away.” He adds that art and visibility “have always been part of how this community survives,” linking queer creativity not only to cultural impact but to survival in the face of legislative attacks and public scapegoating.
Furnish echoes that sense of urgency, saying the couple is “focused on protecting what the LGBTQ+ community built, because most people don't know they built it,” with special emphasis on the role gay men played in transforming modern medicine during the AIDS crisis. He explains that activists pushed for faster access to life-saving drugs, forced their way into scientific conversations, and created community-based care models that are now standard practice, warning that this legacy is “under threat” from funding cuts, criminalization, and political hostility.
The Elton John AIDS Foundation and a threatened legacy
John’s and Furnish’s comments come against the backdrop of more than three decades of work by the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which is both a beneficiary and a partner of the Impact Awards. Founded in 1992, the foundation describes its mission as ending the AIDS epidemic, with a focus on overcoming stigma, discrimination, and neglect that block access to testing, prevention, and treatment.
According to iHeartMedia’s background notes on the awards, since 2020 the foundation has made more than 55 grants and invested over $23 million in programs across 47 countries, supporting a range of local experts and organizations on four continents. Furnish calls the Impact Awards a way to spotlight “the vital work of organizations protecting LGBTQ+ communities and advancing health equity around the world,” stating that such investment has “never been more urgent” as LGBTQ+ rights and health equity are challenged globally.
In the Out conversation, Furnish underscores that ending AIDS “is still possible” because “the science has never been better,” but cautions that “the systems and communities built to deliver it have to survive first.” He characterizes the foundation’s work as a fight to keep those community-built systems alive amid political pressure, aligning the awards with broader efforts to defend both public health infrastructure and LGBTQ+ dignity.
Storytelling, joy, and resistance
For John, storytelling is the connective tissue between his career, the Impact Awards, and the current wave of hostility. In the press announcement, he is quoted as saying he has “always believed in the power of storytelling to connect us and challenge us,” describing the new series as a way to bring together people who have shaped LGBTQ+ culture and “fought for dignity at a time when the world too often looked away.”
John calls the honorees’ stories “deeply humbling” and insists that “this is history that cannot be forgotten and these are voices that must be heard,” suggesting that archiving and amplifying queer narratives is itself part of resisting political erasure. The audio format, which includes candid conversations between John, Furnish, and each honoree, aims to give listeners what organizers describe as “behind the scenes” access to the challenges and defining moments that shaped each person’s life.
In his Out interview, John directs a specific message to young LGBTQ+ artists: “Be yourself. That is the best advice I can give to any young person. Do not be afraid of who you are. Celebrate it, be courageous, and step out into the world as only you can. We need you.” The emphasis on courage, celebration, and “queer joy” positions authenticity as a form of resistance, echoing Furnish’s assertion that “living openly and unapologetically is a form of resistance in itself.”
Legacy beyond the stage
Although John is widely honored for his decades-long musical career, the interview makes clear that he sees his most important legacy in different terms. Asked how he hopes people will celebrate his life, he answers that if his children are happy and know he “gave everything” to support and love them, “that is enough,” describing fatherhood and building a family with Furnish as what will “always matter most.”
At the same time, John acknowledges the “great privilege” of having been honored for his music and says he tries to pass a sense of opportunity to “rising artists who will become the legends of tomorrow,” reinforcing the intergenerational dimension of the Impact Awards. In framing the awards as both an archive and a baton-pass, John and Furnish position legacy not as a static monument but as something actively used to shore up communities under pressure.
A coordinated push from corporate partners
Corporate partners are also foregrounding the awards’ political context, even as they focus on storytelling and celebration. Gayle Troberman of iHeartMedia says the company is “honored to partner with Elton John and P&G” to share the honorees’ stories, and argues that doing so helps “showcase what’s possible when we use our voice to support the organizations on the ground delivering critical support to those in need.”
Brent Miller of P&G states that the company is “proud to celebrate these cultural icons and community organizations” that inspire and support people globally, saying their efforts help “create a world where equality and inclusion are achievable for all.” He adds that honorees use their gifts “in the arts, athletics or community impact” to inspire others with “hope, action and impact,” suggesting a deliberate alignment between corporate messaging and the awards’ emphasis on resilience amid hostility.
Fighting hostility with visibility
Taken together, John’s comments and the structure of the Impact Awards articulate a strategy for facing what he calls a growing swell of political hostility: elevating queer and allied voices, shoring up frontline organizations, and insisting on joy and visibility even under threat. Furnish tells Out that the honorees prove “visibility changes things,” presenting their lives as evidence that open, unapologetic living can shift culture, policy, and individual possibility.
For queer people and allies listening in, the message is straightforward but urgent: this is not the time to retreat. In John’s words, “We are not giving up, and I hope you won’t either,” a reminder that his legacy—as he defines it—rests not only on past hits or past activism, but on whether communities today continue to stand up to hostility and defend what previous generations built.
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