Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About Gay Aunt At GLAAD Awards
Jennifer Lopez was honored at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) awards and Saturday night and the actress and singer was able to impart a personal tale a member of Lopez’s own family who served as a role model for her.
Us Weekly reports, Oscar winner Rita Moreno presented the Vanguard Award to Lopez for her work as a producer on the ABC Family show, The Fosters. During Jennifer’s introduction, Moreno commented that it was ironic Lopez also served as a judge on American Idol because the singer “rarely judges.”
Lopez talked about what made her decide onto the ABC Family show in the first place during her awards acceptance speech. “When the opportunity to produce the show first came my way, I asked myself, ‘Do I do this or do I not do this?'” Jennifer told the crowd. “Being in the media, being in the public eye, it’s a bitch sometimes… I knew that the show would be controversial because of the subject matter.”
Jennifer Lopez says she listened to her heart and her gut over her head, when she decided to produce The Fosters. Lopez’s Vanguard award is presented to artists and media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
She earned that particular award by producing The Fosters, which is actually a show about a lesbian couple that is raising a growing family of biological, adopted, and foster children. Jennifer says she was moved to produce the show because of the story of Marisa, an aunt who struggled with her own sexual orientation once she realized she was a lesbian.
Jennifer Lopez says it always troubled her how Marisa wouldn’t be able to have her own family because of her orientation and didn’t have the means available to go through the same processes same sex couples employ these days in order to have their own children.
Jennifer’s aunt Marisa has been billed as the “cool aunt” by the singer and producer. She was the one Lopez always looked up to growing up in New York City. Lopez also attributes her views on gay marriage as being shaped by her relationship with Marisa.
Jennifer Lopez said she just believes in love and doesn’t think there needs to be any other kinds of boundaries put up by the public or the government once that love is found.
