Everything is love, and love wins.
The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards is coming up, and the LGBTQ-centered organization has announced the recipients of one of their biggest honors. Beyoncé and Jay-Z will be honored with the Vanguard Award, which is awarded to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
As Deadline notes:
Beyonce and Jay-Z have been long-time allies to LGBTQ people. Beyoncé is a deity to the LGBTQ community and has collaborated with LGBTQ artists including Big Freedia and Frank Ocean. In addition, she has shown her support for marriage equality and has spoken against anti-LGBTQ laws. She also dedicated her performance of “Halo” to the victims and survivors of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting during “The Formation World Tour.” Ivy Park, her athleisure clothing line, showcased transgender actress Laverne Cox as one of the featured faces in one of the brand’s promos.
Jay-Z’s advocacy shined bright on the track “Smile” from his album 4:44. The song marked the first time his mother Gloria Carter revealed that she was a lesbian with the rapper opening up about her sexuality. He received a GLAAD Special Recognition Award last year for the song and the music video. It was a groundbreaking moment for an iconic hip hop artist like Jay Z to share his personal connection to the LGBTQ community in a genre that is often seen as homophobic. LGBTQ leader and Pose writer and director Janet Mock was featured in the video for “Family Feud” which was directed by Ava DuVernay. The video also opens with a quote from iconic gay writer James Baldwin.
“Beyoncé and Jay-Z are global icons and passionate defenders of human rights and acceptance for all people,” noted GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “When Beyoncé and Jay-Z speak, the world becomes inspired and when it comes to LGBTQ people, their voices of acceptance have been heard loud and clear. We could not be prouder to stand with them to send a message of love during the biggest LGBTQ event in the world and to honor their work to bend the arc of justice forward for LGBTQ people, people of color, and marginalized communities everywhere.”
The powerful pair will join previous black honorees such as Janet Jackson and Kerry Washington.
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The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will take place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 28. The corresponding New York ceremony will take place on May 4.