Every year, GLAAD gives their Vanguard Award to a member of the media community who doesn’t identify as LGBTQ, but whose work has “made a big difference in promoting equality and acceptance of LGBTQ people.” This year, the award went to two people—Beyoncé and Jay-Z. At the GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday night, the entertainment power couple accepted their award with a joint speech.
Jay-Z spoke about his mother, Gloria Carter, who addressed about her experience as a member of the LGBTQ community on the 4:44 track “Smile,” and who, at last year’s GLAAD Media Awards, delivered a speech of her own. Beyoncé spoke more broadly about her hopes for increased representation and support for LGBTQ people, and addressed what the award means to her.
“We’re here to promote love for every human being,” said Beyoncé. “And change starts with supporting the people closest to you. So let’s tell them they are loved. Let’s remind them that they are beautiful, let’s speak out and protect them. And parents, let’s love our kids in their truest form. … I’d like to request that we continue to shift the stigmas in this community, especially the stigmas in black families towards queer black and brown men and women.”
Watch a clip from the speech below.
