Darren Criss On Being an LGBTQ Ally: 'It's About Championing Connectivity & Compassion'

Darren Criss has been an open advocate for LGBTQ rights even before he blew up as a big star on shows like Glee and American Horror Story: Hotel. As part of Fuse's Pride Month celebration, the actor/singer spoke to us about why being an ally for the community shouldn't be any different from supporting women's rights or the #BlackLivesMatter movement. For him, it's all about being a compassionate human being.

He explains,

"It's not necessarily about allies between the straight and gay communities, it's sort of just championing connectivity and compassion. I think one has to be educated and mindful of as many things as you can about other people's experiences so that there's a sensitivity and compassion you can apply to being on their side. My particular torch that I'm carrying happens to be for that because the luck I've had with playing certain characters on television and being able to be a symbol for that."

While Criss is a heterosexual, he aims to find the common denominators of "what it is to feel marginalized" in a society that doesn't always accept you. He's been a longtime supporter of The Trevor Project and is part of Variety's Power of Youth Philanthropy initiative.