Global superstars Beyoncé and Jay-Zhave been announced as the newest crop of honorees for this year’s GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. The pair will join fellow honoree Sean Hayes as the recipients of the evening’s two most prestigious awards.
The duo will be awarded with this year’s Vanguard Award, historically given to LGBTQ allies who have “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.” Past honorees of the award include Britney Spears, Cher, Demi Lovato and Janet Jackson.
In a statement released with the announcement, GLAAD president and ceo Sarah Kate Ellis said that both Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been providing unequivocal support for the community throughout their long careers. “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,” she said. “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.”
This will not be Jay-Z’s first award from the organization; last year, the rapper was honored with a GLAAD Special Recognition Award, alongside his mother Gloria Carter, for his song “Smile,” where he gave his mother a public platform to come out to the world as a lesbian. “But life is short, and it’s time to be free,” she said in the song’s spoken word outro. “Love who you love, because life isn’t guaranteed.”
The GLAAD Media Awards are presented by Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Hyundai, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka and Wells Fargo. The event will take place on Thursday, March 28 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
