As The Devil Wears Prada 2 prepares for its global release next week, Meryl Streep is once again in the spotlight, not just for reprising her iconic role as Miranda Priestly, but for her pointed remarks on the fashion industry's debt to the LGBTQ+ community.
In an interview with Out magazine, Streep posed a rhetorical question that has since resonated widely: “Would we have fashion without gay people?” She added, “Forgive me, would we have anything? I wouldn’t know how to put together anything. It’s a joy to have made it with [the LGBTQ+] community in mind. Top of mind.”
The sequel, which reunites Streep with Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, has already toured globally. Streep noted the film's cross-cultural appeal, saying, “The reaction is the same in Mexico City as Tokyo, as Seoul, as Shanghai... I honestly was surprised. I really was surprised by the universality of the response and from so many different kinds of people.”
A Longstanding Ally
Streep's advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights is not new. In 2004, during her Golden Globes acceptance speech for Angels in America, she condemned then-President George W. Bush's opposition to marriage equality. More recently, in 2017, the Human Rights Campaign awarded her its Ally for Equality Award, recognizing her consistent support.
In her acceptance speech, Streep warned against complacency: “We should not be surprised that fundamentalists, of every stripe, are exercised and fuming. We should not be surprised that these profound changes come at a steeper cost than we originally thought. We should not be surprised that not everyone is actually cool with it.” She concluded with a powerful defense of personal freedoms, asserting that “all of us have the human right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Streep's comments come at a time when cultural debates around identity and expression remain heated across Europe and beyond. The fashion industry, with its deep ties to LGBTQ+ creativity, continues to be a battleground for these discussions. For European audiences, the intersection of cinema, fashion, and activism offers a lens through which to view broader societal shifts.
The sequel's release also coincides with a period of renewed attention on European fashion capitals like Paris, Milan, and London, where LGBTQ+ designers and artists have long shaped trends. Streep's remarks underscore a truth often acknowledged but rarely stated so bluntly: that the industry's vibrancy owes much to queer contributions.
As The Devil Wears Prada 2 hits screens, it serves as a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling to amplify marginalized voices. Streep's career, marked by roles that challenge norms, continues to align with her off-screen activism.
