Beyoncé and Jay-Z with their GLAAD Media Awards — Photo: Beyoncé / Instagram
Beyoncé has revealed that losing her ‘Uncle Johnny’ to HIV was one of the “most painful experiences” of her life.
The music icon gave an emotional speech alongside husband Jay-Z while the pair accepted the Vanguard Award during the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday.
Beyoncé dedicated the award to “Uncle Johnny, the most fabulous gay man I’ve ever known who helped raise me and my sister.”
She continued: “‘Witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever lived. I’m hopeful that his struggles served to open pathways for other young people to live more freely.”
Noting that “LGBTQI rights are human rights,” the singer and actress then spoke about the support she’s received from her LGBTQ fans.
“Whether it’s our fans or our family, the LGBTQI community has always supported us and lifted us up. And we thank you for that,” she said. “We are here to promote love for every human being, and change starts with supporting the people closest to you. So let’s tell them they are loved, let’s remind them they are beautiful, and parents, let’s love our kids in their truest form.”
Beyoncé again reiterated her commitment to LGBTQ rights at the end of her speech, saying, “To choose who you love is your human right. How you identify and see yourself is your human right, who you make love to and take that ass to Red Lobster is your human right!”
During his speech, Jay-Z paid tribute to his mother, Gloria Carter, who is lesbian. He thanked Carter for teaching him strong values, saying, “I’m following in her footsteps of spreading love and acceptance.”
More than 9 in 10 LGBTQ adults are out to someone in their lives about their sexual orientation or gender identity -- yet many remain closeted when it comes to family members or co-workers.
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January, 96% of LGBTQ adults say they have told someone about their identity, while only 3% say they have not come out to anyone. However, up to one-third of LGBTQ adults -- including those who have come out to “someone” -- say they are not out to extended family members, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, or cousins.
Justice Department had demanded Boston Children's Hospital hand over patients' and employees' personal information under the guise of combating medical "fraud."
A federal judge has quashed a subpoena from the U.S. Department of Justice demanding that Boston Children’s Hospital turn over private medical information on youth receiving gender-affirming care, blasting the request as a “fishing expedition” aimed at prosecuting doctors under the guise of investigating health care fraud.
In his ruling, Judge Myong Joun, a Biden appointee, said the Justice Department sought an “astonishingly broad array of documents and information that are virtually unlimited in scope,” including patients’ Social Security numbers, home addresses, and personal details, as well as the complete personnel files of all 2,000 Boston Children’s Hospital employees, regardless of whether they had any involvement in providing gender-affirming care to minors.
Whitman-Walker will host its 39th annual Walk & 5K to End HIV at Anacostia Park on Saturday, Sept. 20.
The event, which has served as the health organization's chief fundraiser for nearly four decades, brings together thousands of residents and local businesses -- some as corporate sponsors or fund-matching partners -- to raise money for Whitman-Walker's patient services.
This year marks the fourth time the event has been held east of the Anacostia River, in Southeast D.C., where many of Whitman-Walker's patients live and where HIV rates remain among the highest in the city.
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.