Demi Lovato To Be Honored By GLAAD For Promoting LGBT Equality
Demi Lovato is set to be honored by LGBT acceptance group GLAAD for her efforts promoting equality around the world.
According to the Daily Mail, Lovato will be receiving the Vanguard Award from the advocacy group at the 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 2 to celebrate her constant support of the gay, lesbian, and transgender communities throughout her career.
“[Demi Lovato] is an extraordinary ally who is committed to helping young people embrace who they are and live the lives they love,” GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said of Lovato in a statement following the announcement.
According to a statement, the award, which has previously been awarded to huge stars like Jennifer Lopez and Kristin Chenoweth, is given to those who have “made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance.”
Although Demi is yet to speak out regarding the honor, Lovato certainly hasn’t been shy about supporting LGBT rights in the past.
Congrats! RT @ddlovato will be honored with the Vanguard Award at the @glaad Media Awards! https://t.co/APABLIyEcZ pic.twitter.com/h6jTAjgK46
— Perez Hilton (@PerezHilton) March 3, 2016
“Gay, straight, lesbian, bi.. No one is better than any one else,” Lovato tweeted out to her millions of Twitter fans after same-sex marriage was made legal in California in June 2013. “What an incredible day for California and for equality.”
Lovato even filmed the music video for her 2014 single “Really Don’t Care” when she was serving as the grand marshal of a gay pride parade in Los Angeles in June 2014, and she admitted to Refinery 29 that the song holds a special meaning for her.
“It was originally a breakup song, and I wanted to make it more empowering,” Lovato said of the song in 2014. “When I thought of the lyrics ‘really don’t care’, it made me think of bullying, and made me think of the LGBT community, who deal with that so often, but they accept themselves.”
But Lovato’s unwavering support for the LGBT community certainly didn’t stop there.
According to a report by Capital FM, Demi also signed up to be an ambassador for the HR Campaign Americans For Marriage Equality in 2014, where she publicly pledged her support for the LGBT community in a video to fans.
“I believe that love comes in all different shapes, sizes and colors,” Demi said at the time. “Whether you’re LGBT or straight, your love is valid, beautiful and an incredible gift.”
“So let’s protect them, and strengthen the institution of marriage by allowing loving, caring and committed same-sex couples to legally marry,” Demi said, urging her fans to join the campaign to support same-sex marriage in the U.S. “Please join me and the majority of American citizens who support marriage equality.”
Variety previously reported that Demi has credited her late grandfather, who Lovato told fans was gay, for inspiring her to “speak out and stand up for” for the LGBT community.
The site is also reporting that Lovato’s past role on Fox’s Glee also inspired GLAAD’s decision to honor Demi, which the star spoke out about to Access Hollywood in 2013.
“I get to play a lesbian on the show and that’s something that I feel like hasn’t really been brought to primetime with, you know, as a young actress,” Demi previously told Access Hollywood of her inspiring Glee role.
“And I think it represents where our society is today. It’s becoming the norm and I’m really glad that I get to represent that — how far we’ve come,” Lovato said. “I’m glad that I get to represent that and also, just hopefully inspire people with my character to love who they are and accept who they are and not give a crap what other people think.”
Watch Demi Lovato’s video for “Really Don’t Care” below.
What do you think of Demi Lovato’s newest honor?
[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
