Miley Cyrus made quite the statement at the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala on Tuesday, June 16, in New York. Nearly a week after the entertainer revealed that she’s bisexual in her Paper magazine interview, the singer is now making waves for becoming an inspiration to LGBT youth.
Miley Cyrus attends the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala New York at Spring Studios on June 16, 2015 in New York City.
Cyrus, 22, was joined by her mom, Tish Cyrus, and dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, at the event. Cyrus showed off her glittery gold armpit hair in a red sequin strapless gown that featured sequin hearts and a big bow on the back. She also went to the amfAR gala with her date named Tyler Ford, who she described on Instagram as a “queer, biracial, agender person,” as previously reported via the Inquisitr.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 16: Miley Cyrus (R) and Tyler Ford attend the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala New York at Spring Studios on June 16, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
“Meet Tyler a 24 year old living in New York City, and my date for @amfar tonight!!! Tyler is a queer, biracial, agender person, whose pronouns are they/them/theirs … Tyler shares about their identity, experiences and hopes saying: ‘My whole life, I was led to believe that there were only two genders. I thought I had to shrink myself to fit into a box that was never going to contain me.’ It took years for me to find words for my gender identity, and to feel comfortable expressing myself as I am.'”
Miley’s outrageous dress is designed by none other than Jeremy Scott, who also designs the infamous Moschino line. Her mom, Tish, almost suffered a nip slip on the red carpet with her sexy black mesh dress that had a plunging neckline. Tish’s wardrobe malfunction didn’t steal the attention away from Miley’s achievements that night.
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 16: Miley Cyrus attends the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala New York at Spring Studios on June 16, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
The “Wrecking Ball” singer didn’t just make waves with her unique fashion sense. Miley also made headlines for her epic speech. She thanked the organization for her amfAR award.
“Thank you very much. So, I’ve been sitting here long enough, I’ve been watching everybody read off these weird, futuristic mirrors that are right here. These are feeding everyone their words; they’re weird, and they make you look kinda like you’re spacing out, which I already look like I’m doing, so I’m going to not read that. I’m going to hold my paper, which I trust.”
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 16: Miley Cyrus speaks onstage at the 2015 amfAR Inspiration Gala New York at Spring Studios on June 16, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Cyrus also went on to talk about her date, Ford, and about her new charity, the Happy Hippie Foundation.
“I’m honored to have such a beautiful date tonight that speaks just as beautifully as they look. There are so many people around the world right now that deserve this recognition. And they’ve dedicated their lives to finding a cure…and by receiving this award tonight, I promise to continue to fight along with such an industrious army for a cure for this epidemic.”
The performer wasn’t done yet. Miley also wanted to thank her idols who inspired her such as Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sharon Stone. Miley also teared up when she thanked her parents for their continued support over the years.
“I just want to tell you how much I love you, and I want to—I’m going to f***ing cry, like a loser. I just want to tell my parents I hope that this makes them proud, and somehow makes up for all the shit that I do, all the time. You are two of the most selfless people, and you have taught me and all of my siblings how important it is to be there for those who need us. And how important it is to care about other people and their lives, so thank you for making me like that. People say that they don’t choose their family, but I’d choose my family every time. I think that even if you weren’t my mom and dad, I’d hope we’d still be in the room together looking for a cure.”
Cyrus ended her powerful speech with the closing message: “We will continue to fight against judgment, and we find a cure for HIV/AIDS.”
Miley is currently the spokesperson for MAC’s Viva Glam campaign. The beauty brand has raised over $25 million with every cent of their products sold to help those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Most recently, Miley launched her Happy Hippie Foundation to help bring awareness to homeless youth, especially those in the LGBTQ community. She’s been a tireless supporter of the community for years.
Although Cyrus usually receives her share of criticism, she received a lot of praise from other stars that night. Andy Cohen, host of Watch What Happens Now, had nothing but kind words to say about the bright star.
“It’s really fun to be in the company of Miley Cyrus. Our names have never been spoken in the same sentence so I’m honored tonight. She’s an original and she’s a fighter and she speaks to a whole, new generation.”
Transgender model Andrea Pejic applauded the entertainer for her tireless work with the LBGTQ community.
“I think she is using her celebrity in a positive way and to… create some change. It’s nice to see and I don’t think a lot of celebrities do that…. She’s a very genuine person and you can definitely see that she’s very excited for this opportunity and the charity and so it’s really amazing to see.”
Even Josh Wood, producer of the amfAR Gala, praised Cyrus for bringing awareness to HIV/AIDs and LBGTQ youth.
“Miley is amazing. I think what a lot of people don’t realize is that she’s dedicated her past few years to philanthropy…She’s really sympathetic to the cause and outspoken about HIV and AIDS and in particular, with homeless youth, people of color, trans people, and homeless people.”
Some people may say that Miley Cyrus is an attention-seeker, but she has admitted that she’s using her antics to bring awareness to a greater good.
