Beyoncé and Jay-Z to receive Vanguard Award from GLAAD
Beyonce and Jay-Z will receive and award for supporting LGBT+ rights. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Beyoncé and Jay-Z, also known as The Carters, will be honoured with the Vanguard Award by LGBT media charity GLAAD.
The power couple are due to receive the honour, which is presented to allies of the LGBT+ community who have “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people,” at the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on March 28.
“Beyoncé and Jay-Z are global icons and passionate defenders of human rights and acceptance for all people,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement on Monday (March 11).
“When Beyoncé and Jay-Z speak, the world becomes inspired.”
— GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis
Ellis continued: “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.”
Beyoncé and Jay-Z are going to receive the GLAAD Vanguard Award for being an ally to the LGBT+ community on March 28. (Beyonce/Instagram)
GLAAD noted that Beyoncé and Jay-Z have long supported LGBT+ rights such as marriage equality and worked to include representation of LGBT+ people in the work as performers.
Beyoncé made trans actress and model Laverne Cox one of the faces of her sportswear line Ivy Park, as well as including LGBT+ people and couples in the “Formation” and “All Night” music videos.
She also dedicated a performance of “Halo” to the victims of the Pulse shooting in Orlando during her 2016 the Formation World Tour.
Beyonce and Jay-Z were praised for including LGBT+ people in their videos. (Christopher Polk/Getty for NARAS)
Jay-Z has also included LGBT+ people in his videos, such as trans writer and campaigner Janet Mock who appeared in the “Family Feud” video, and his own mother Gloria Carter—in the song “Smile,” which she used to come out as a lesbian.
Gloria Carter accepted the GLAAD Special Recognition Award last year, giving an emotional speech about how love gave her the courage to be open about her sexuality, first telling her son and then the rest of the world.
Besides Beyoncé and Jay-Z, the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will see other honours being handed out to various forms of creative endeavours, from films to video games, over the course of two events—the one in LA this month and one in New York City on May 4, where pop icon Madonna will receive the Advocate for Change Award to recognise her longtime activism for the LGBT+ community,
