Discovering Chappell Roan for the first time felt like discovering magic — like finally finding a home in a world that doesn't always make space for our stories. As Youth Voices with It Gets Better, we come from different backgrounds and places (two of us in this class are from the Midwest). Still, we share something powerful: the experience of seeing ourselves represented by someone who not only exudes queer joy but demands respect for it.

Chappell Roan is more than an artist who creates music we love to scream-sing; she's a force of nature who shows us what it looks like to take up space unapologetically. Chappell's music has opened up a space for conversations many of us have never had but honestly needed. Songs like "Good Luck Babe" or "HOT TO GO!" make it feel less awkward to talk about our crushes, love lives, and identities with straight friends because she broadcast the world of lesbian love into the mainstream.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

When you feel alone in your sexual orientation and unable to find community, a Chappell Roan song helps you through.

What makes Chappell Roan special isn't just the joy she radiates but how she uses that joy to uplift the queer community. In an industry that often tokenizes or sidelines LGBTQ+ artists, Chappell stands firm, demanding respect for herself and all of us.

It's not often you see someone who has all the odds stacked against them still persevere and create such a substantial impact on the communities they're in. As a woman, she speaks to all other women, saying they are powerful, influential, and capable of achieving anything they desire. As a queer person, she tells us we are worthy of a voice, deserving of respect, and worthy of generating joy in a world that may never understand us.

Because here's the truth: in a world that wants women and LGBTQIA+ people to quiet down, Chappell stands up and speaks, and we think that's powerful. It's easy to let people walk all over you.

Chappell has taught us to speak up for ourselves and self-advocate — even when, as teenagers born into a culture of insecurity, we instinctively start every sentence with "I'm sorry." This year, we honor that there is no need to apologize for our identities– and that's because of Chappell.

When Chappell accepted the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, she dedicated it "to all the drag artists who inspire me," the "queer and trans people who fuel pop," and most memorably, "the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now, I see you. I understand you because I'm one of you. And don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't be exactly who you want to be." She spoke directly to us, reminding us that success isn't just about breaking through barriers—it's about ensuring others can follow. Her insistence on elevating queer voices shows us what it means to build a community where everyone has the right to be heard.

Erika Goldring/WireImage

Chappell Roan represents a world where queer identities can be loud and proud, even in places that don't always feel welcoming. She shows us queer joy is universal, uniting us through shared experiences. She makes us feel less alone and that anything is possible, no matter where we're from, and that's a rare and beautiful gift.

Through every scream-your-heart-out lyric she writes, Chappell cultivates joy. And in a time fraught with such hate, political upheaval, and fear— we Youth Voices believe that joy is precisely what we need. Time and time again, 2024 has shown us that it's really easy to scare people. Chappell does something different, which, we would argue, is much more challenging: she uplifts.

Chappell Roan has given us more than music. She's given us permission to be our full, unapologetic selves. She's proof that our joy is a revolutionary act and that our identities are worthy of celebration. Simply put, our love for Chappell Roan is not casual; it's all-consuming. Not just because of her pop-bangers but because she stands up for the LGBTQIA+ community when we need her most.

The It Gets Better Youth Voices Class of 2025 is honored to invite Chappell Roan to join our Joy Rebellion as our Joy Rebel of the Year. Thank you, Chappell, for being a champion for us all and for reminding us every day what queer joy looks like.

Youth Voices is an annual cohort of ten LGBTQ+ young people from around the country who collaborate with It Gets Better to share their unique stories and advice with LGBTQ+ youth worldwide. They learn vital leadership skills, strengthen their ability to advocate for themselves and their peers, and have a passion for creating change in their communities. It Gets Better is a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.

Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.