With the marriage equality plebiscite still in full swing, singer Sam Smith has stepped up to show his support for LGBT Australians, announcing that he plans to donate a third of his expected profits from his upcoming Sydney Opera House gig to Australian Marriage Equality.
While tickets have not yet gone on sale for the performance, which is happening in January, Smith feels passionate about the cause, and made the decision to give the money away now, feeling like it would be most helpful in the final weeks of the postal vote campaign.
The remaining two thirds will go towards support services for LGBT and gender-diverse youth. Janine Middleton, co-chair of Australian Marriage Equality, said that the organisation, which supports a ‘Yes’ vote, is “thrilled” by his generosity. She told Fairfax:
“Sam doesn’t need to do this, he isn’t Australian but he understands what it feels like to be in a relationship that isn’t considered equal. Soon we hope to realise the equality he enjoys at home in the United Kingdom will soon be a reality here in Australia. Sam knows all too well about the challenges faced by LGBTI Australians and his generosity towards them will help us achieve fairness and equality for all.”
Sam Smith publicly came out in 2014, and discussed his decision in an interview with Ellen, saying it was important to him to be truthful with the world and himself:
Tickets for his Opera House show go on sale Monday October 16.
