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News - 3 August 2025

Mariah Carey just sent a FU to Keir Starmer and Donald Trump

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Steve Topple

@steve_topple


Mariah Carey made a very political statement at her Brighton Pride headliner on Saturday 2 August – one aimed directly at Keir Starmer’s government, but also Donald Trump’s. The singer, songwriter, producer, and cultural icon didn’t mess around in showing what she thought of both those administrations’ position on trans people’s rights. But of course, she did it in her usual, flamboyant way.

Mariah Carey at Brighton Pride

Mariah Carey was headlining Brighton Pride. She was supposed to do so in 2020, but the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So, the US superstar had finally arrived – and she did so in style:

There was a huge turn out of Carey fans:

And a certain Zarah Sultana was in the audience, too:

However, for Carey it wasn’t just about the music. She has always been a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community – and none more so than now. Because to open her Brighton Pride set, she made a very political statement via her wardrobe:

“Protect the Dolls” is a reference to trans people’s rights. At its core, “the dolls” is a colloquial term for femmes, trans women, drag queens, or anyone embodying hyper-femininity – especially those living defiantly and visibly in the face of systemic oppression. “Protect the dolls” is a rallying cry: an insistence on safeguarding them from misogyny, transphobia, racialised capitalism, and other intersecting violence.

The phrase has risen in usage recently – obviously due to the UK and US crack downs on trans people’s human rights.

Protect the Dolls from Starmer…

Mariah Carey’s overt statement in the UK was clearly intentional.

This is because the UK Supreme Court ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer exclusively to characteristics assigned at birth. This was thanks to a campaign by anti-trans campaigners who mobilised under anti-feminist left hate campaigns and far-right hate movements.

Predictably, this decision had a far-reaching impact on who can access single-sex spaces, such as public toilets. It will also impact other public services and spaces, for example football – and Starmer’s government agrees with it.

So, thanks to a Supreme Court ruling, trans people are effectively experiencing apartheid.

Meanwhile, in the US Trump has launched a similar hate campaign.

And Trump…

In January, Trump signed Executive Order 14168, redefining gender as a fixed binary tied to sex assigned at birth. This order rescinded federal recognition of transgender people, required removal of gender self‑identification from passports and official documents, banned access to gender‑affirming care in federal facilities, and revoked nondiscrimination protections tied to gender identity.

Then, he designated gender‑affirming treatments for minors (much like the UK)—including puberty blockers and hormone therapy—as “chemical and surgical mutilation.” The order cut federal funding for youth transition care under Medicaid, Medicare, and federal insurance programs, and instructed agencies to penalize medical providers and educators facilitating such care.

Trump then banned all transgender individuals from serving in the military. While initial judicial injunctions challenged the policy, the Supreme Court allowed enforcement in May 2025. He also issued Executive Order 14201, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” threatening to withdraw federal education funding from institutions allowing transgender girls or women to compete in female sports teams.

So, given the systemic oppression and state-sanctioned hate trans people are living with at present, Mariah Carey’s in-your-face statement was not exactly subtle. But it was important:

In fact, the whole ensemble was a display of trans allyship:

Carey’s gesture was not tokenistic. For example, her 1995 hit One Sweet Day with Boyz II Men was a tribute to music producer David Cole (who is rumoured to have died of AIDS complications) – but also to every AIDS victim more broadly.

Away from this, her performance at Brighton Pride did not disappoint.

A powerhouse performance

On time (reneging her diva reputation entirely, except for a mid-performance foundation touch up and four different ensembles) and on point, arguably the most successful female artist to ever have lived showed why she has that title.

Hit after hit were showcased – from her debut Vision of Love to her latest single Sugar Sweet. Mariah Carey’s setlist was a clever mix of industry standards that everyone would know – like Fantasy, Dreamlover, Hero, We Belong Together, and Without You – as well as tracks to please her fans, like Can’t Let Go, Emotions, and Fly Like A Bird.

She also incorporated her groundbreaking remixes into the set. For example, Fantasy was the remixed version with the late American rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard. The track is widely recognised as paving the way for the now-established practice of female singers pairing with rappers. Carey also showcased her House remixes as well – like the hugely successful Dreamlover (Def Club Mix) by her and David Morales. Again, her practice of completely re-recording and producing entire tracks to turn them into dance remixes was groundbreaking at the time.

Vocally, Carey is still a maestro, still able to go down into a sultry alto, up into a forceful yet controlled soprano, and then up again into her renowned whistle register. Her breath control is remarkable, as it always has been. However, admittedly the voice is a muscle and like all muscles loses some power with age. Her melisma (singing multiple, rapid notes on one syllable) and general vocal runs are not as complex as they once were – with signature coloratura being pared back. This was notable at the end of Vision of Love, where her usual near-infinite number of notes had been replaced with a mere handful.

But, this was almost irrelevant given Carey was pitch-and rhythmically-perfect, vocally strong, and engaging as a performer across the entire 90 minutes – three things few artists manage.

All hail Queen Mariah Carey

So, if you were at Brighton Pride to protest, then Mariah Carey would have satisfied you. But if you were there to see the greatest female artist of all time show that she really still is, then you would have been blown away.

All hail the Queen.

Featured image via the Canary





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