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.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it is lifting longstanding categorical restrictions preventing sexually active gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
The FDA has issued draft recommendations for donor eligibility criteria, under which donor eligibility will be determined based on an individualized risk assessment, similar to the way donors are screened in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada.
All potential donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, will be asked to complete a donor history questionnaire.
Based on those responses, blood collectors will determine whether the individual needs to be deferred from donating for a three-month period. Only people diagnosed with, and taking treatment for, HIV, are banned from donating for life.
To some, Record of the Year is the top prize at the Grammys, while others insist it remains Album of the Year, which was previously thought of as the biggest honor for decades.
This time around, at least four of the biggest musicians on the planet are competing for the trophy, and none of them have won before, so it's quite the race to watch.
Nominees
ABBA - Voyage
Adele - 30
Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé - Renaissance
Brandi Carlile - In These Silent Days
Coldplay - Music of the Spheres
Harry Styles - Harry's House
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Lizzo - Special
Mary J. Blige - Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
A gay man with HIV is appealing a court ruling requiring him to register as a "sex offender" due to having been prosecuted under a 1987 Louisiana law that effectively criminalizes any person with HIV who has sex.
In 2009, Robert Suttle, a gay Black man who was working as an assistant court clerk, was accused by an ex-boyfriend of not disclosing his HIV status before the two engaged in consensual sex. As a result, Suttle found himself charged under Louisiana's "Intentional Exposure to AIDS Virus" statute -- adopted at the height of the AIDS epidemic, when little was known about HIV -- which can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
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