GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) have announced that Beyonce and Jay-Z will receive the Vanguard Award for their long-time support and advocacy for the LGBT+ community at the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on March 28.
The Vanguard Award is presented annually to a member of the entertainment industry who has used their influential position to promote equal rights for LGBT+ people despite not being a part of the community themselves.
“Beyonce and Jay-Z are global icons and passionate defenders of human rights and acceptance for all people,” said GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement.
“We could not be prouder to stand with them to send a message of love during the biggest LGBT+ event in the world and to honour their work to bend the arc of justice forward for LGBT+ people, people of colour and marginalised communities everywhere.”
Jay-Z received a GLAAD Special Recognition Award last year for his music video, ‘Smile’, which featured his gay mother Gloria Carter; who proclaimed at the awards ceremony: “‘Smile’ became a reality because I shared with my son who I am”.
Beyonce featured prominent LGBT+ figures in her music videos for ‘All Night’ and ‘Formation’. She also dedicated her performance of ‘Halo’ to victims of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting at her ‘Formation’ world tour in 2016.
Bey and Jay have also actively campaigned for marriage equality in the US.
Previous Vanguard Award honorees included Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Cher, Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Elizabeth Taylor, Antonio Banderas, and Demi Lovato.
The event will take place on March 28 in Los Angeles and on May 4 in New York city where Madonna will receive the Advocate for Change Award.
Festivities will be hosted by Drag Race panelist Ross Matthews and will include special guests Nico Santos, Shangela and Queer Eye‘s Allison Janney.
© 2019 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
Support GCN
GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.
During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.
GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.
comments. Please sign in to comment.