Pop icon Christina Aguilera has been awarded GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award at the 34th annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton, for her decades-long allyship in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.
GLAAD’s Advocate for Change Award is presented to a person who, through their work, has changed the game for LGBTQ people around the world.
Club Q Colorado Springs shooting survivor Michael Anderson, who invoked her lyrics to her song, “Beautiful,” as he testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee on LGBTQ violence, presented Aguilera with the award.
“I have a big problem with injustice, particularly towards the trans community that has faced so much hardship,” said Anderson. “So I always hoped I could use my music to speak up for others who didn’t have a voice. That’s why I am so grateful to GLAAD for this award, and for the work you do to get the LGBTQ community heard.”
Aguilera, who joins the ranks of past Advocate for Change Award honorees including Madonna and President Bill Clinton, recently celebrating its 20th anniversary, “Beautiful” which received a Special Recognition honor at the 14th GLAAD Media Awards and in 2002, Aguilera dedicated the song to the LGBTQ community, with the line “words can’t bring us down” becoming a personal mantra for many queer people.
Michael, your words of inspiration mean the world to me, but I must say that you are the true embodiment of bravery. To endure violence and then choose to take action to effect change is nothing short of heroic pic.twitter.com/o68gQNkiVe
— Christina Aguilera (@xtina) April 1, 2023
He continued, “You taught me through my headphones that all the adversity and turmoil that I was going through would one day make me that much stronger, wiser and a fighter. She also told all of us that one day we would be able to spread our qings and soar and that nobody could hold us down. You also said you are all beautiful no matter what they say.”
Anderson presented the award to Aguilera, who graciously accepted and praised the room and said she felt honored to share the space with the community. “I grew up in this community and most of my friends identify [as LGBTQ] and so much of who I am and what I do is because of the shared experience of having to fight for equality and freedom in some capacity.”
In her acceptance speech, Aguilera said: “The community has endured decades of fighting and we will continue to do so.”
I’m constantly impressed by your examples of the courage it takes to fight for acceptance and safety that every human being deserves, which happens to be the core message of the music and art I’ve created over the years,” she added.
Aguilera shared her experience with domestic violence and talked about how she knows how it is like to be a victim of violence, abuse and trauma. She admitted that seeing her mother in a powerless position first ignited the fire in her to speak up for all of the people whose voices don’t get heard. She said it “was my mission to creatively empower others through my music.”
“I wrote a few songs and I made a bunch of music videos and I ruffled a whole lot of feathers… so it made people a little mad,” she admitted. “Sometimes you need to do that and honestly, it felt very natural for me to showcase what the world has been like. As I continue my career, I’m constantly inspired by all of the HIV activists, trans rights leaders and LGBTQ rebels who work tirelessly to push back against conformity and justice.”
She praised Anderson, GLAAD and all those who have been on the front lines. “We all need to raise our voices if we want to live in a world that’s free of discrimination, hate and violence. I feel so grateful tonight because for me it’s not about winning awards or being honored. “My greater purpose is to use the platform to change lives for the better. So thank you GLAAD and all that to do to make sure every voice and the LGBTQ community is heard. We can’t help each other if we can’t hear each other. Thank you.”
Hulu is the official streaming partner for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, for the third consecutive year. Stream the GLAAD Media Awards on Hulu, starting Wednesday, April 12.