Janelle Monáe has received widespread praise for her musical talents, but she was also recently honored for her social activism efforts with the LGBTQ community.
Monae was honored at the 40th annual Outfest Legacy Awards gala, an annual event that showcases the LGBTQ community and allies within the entertainment industry.
Monae, who identifies as gender non-binary, received the Trailblazer Award for her activism and philanthropy efforts on Saturday night.
Accepting her award in a black leather outfit accessorized with black gloves and a black top hat, Monae said: “I feel like I’m at my church tonight…I feel like I am in church and I am with people that feel me and see me and understand me… I’m just deeply humbled and just so thankful and at a loss for real words to match my feelings. So just accept my thank you. Thank you so much.”
Monae also spoke to reporters on the red carpet about the importance of LGBTQ representation in the entertainment industry, saying, “visibility is important for the next generation to see; like, ‘I have community, I have people putting in real effort to make sure that I’m seen, that I’m heard, that I’m present.” She continued by saying that “we obviously have a lot of work to continue to do, but the work they’ve done over the last 40 years, that’s a big deal.”
In addition to the awards, the event also features live performances from musical guests and special appearances by select celebrities.
As for her professional life, Monae is keeping busy with music and film. She is set to star in Netflix’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” the sequel to Rain Johnson’s 2019’s “Knives Out.”
