Bill Clinton to be honoured with a GLAAD Media Award

Apr 03 2013
Written by Joseph McCormick

GLAAD, the LGBT media advocacy organisation, has announced that former US President Bill Clinton will be honoured with an award at its 24th annual Media Awards in May.

Clinton is to receive GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award, the first award to be given in that category, at the awards ceremony at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles on 20 April.

“President Clinton’s support of the LGBT community and recognition that DOMA, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, is unconstitutional and should be struck down shows that the political landscape continues to change in favor of LGBT equality,” GLAAD’s Wilson Cruz said in a statement.

“Leaders and allies like President Clinton are critical to moving our march for equality forward”, the statement continued.

In March, the 42nd US President wrote an article for the Washington Post urging the Supreme Court to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. He wrote that, despite signing it himself in 1996, we live in a “different time” and it must be repealed.

He went on to quote Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, asking: “It is not ‘Can any of us imagine better?’ but ‘Can we all do better?’ ”

Those presenting the awards this year include Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lawrence.

Also being honoured with an award at the ceremony will be gay entertainment lawyer Steve Warren, who will receive the Stephen F Kolzak Award.

“Steve Warren’s work and career have opened doors for out professionals across the entertainment industry,” Cruz said. “In addition to advocating for LGBT people, he has continuously mobilized a large base of high-profile allies to help bring about social change.”

Singer Adam Lambert has been announced as the recipient of the Davidson/Valentini Awards at the GLAAD Media Awards on 11 May at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco.

Madonna took to the stage at the first leg of the awards recently, dressed as a boy scout, as she gave a passionate speech about LGBT rights, before presenting Cooper with the award.

Texas Governor Rick Perry took umbrage at Madonna’s appearing, saying that she had taken a “gratuitous shot” at the BSA, when she said that it should lift its ban on gay volunteers, members and staff.

The former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, officially announced her support for equal marriage in a moving speech this week in which she called moves towards equality “breathtaking and inspiring”.