Beverly Hilton had room for 36th Glaad Media Awards On Thursday night and “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo got the whole room to tear down with his influencing talk about the importance of using your powers for good.
As a recipient of Stephen F. Kolzak award, Oscar-nominated his time on stage to give a powerful, five minute call for action for anyone who participated to look for queer people who have not been given the opportunity to live their truth.
“This has been a wild, wild trip and I have been deeply grateful for every second of it. But more than anything I have seen and felt how openly armed my society has been,” Erivo began. “I’ve talked about being your whole self and your true self. I’m talking about the prices that come from being you against the odds. But rarely do I admit how hard it can be. So I thought I would make some room for those of us trying to find the courage to exist as we want, because I think it is the space to do it.”
It’s not easy. None of it is. Waking up and choosing to be yourself, proclaiming a space belongs to you when you do not feel welcome, teach people daily how to handle you and handle the frustration of reading about people a word that has been in the human vocabulary since it is more, “she continued.” It is not easy to ask people to treat you with dignity, because you just have it. It is not easy to learn to grow who you are about the world around you knock on your door and say you should stay inside. Some flowers bloom against all odds, like Peony; But most flowers have to be taken out and care before they lose light and open their kits to the sun.
“Here in this room we have all been the recipients of the gift that is the opportunity to be more. I doubt it has become easy for one of us, but more, because some the road has not been a paved with yellow bricks, but instead paved with bumps and pots,” Erivo said. “No matter what path you have traveled, how beautiful it is that you have had a way to travel at all. There are the invisible who have had no path at all. For those who have not yet begun to find the way, encouraged and be patience with yourself. It will turn out.”
“I know that this event is to celebrate the work we do, and I am infinitely grateful for this honor and a celebration of this. But the real work is to make the ground we leave in our keel level enough for the next person who finds their way to the path we have done,” she added. “For the person who is looking for and has not found it yet. This room is full of people who can and will, if they choose – and I hope they come, because I do – to be lanterns to light your trip and your way to show the world who you are.
“We are all visible. We can be see. We see Each Other. I see you, you see me. But think of those who have not be see. Those who sit in the dark and wait their turn, hoping and waiting for a light to light to how room. You are in and the lights that you hold, to point it in the direction of some who just needs a little guidance, “Erivo Concluded. “Thank you. Glaad, congratulations to your 40th anniversary, for this beautiful honor. Please, everyone has a beautiful night.”
Other remarkable highlights from the night included similar passionate speeches from Doechii (Outstanding Music Artist), Hannah Einbinder for “Hacks” (Outstanding Comedy Series) and Harper Steele for “Will & Harper” (Outstanding Documentary) and Patti Lupone seriously quotes IConic “RuPaul’s traits” RuPaul’s traits “RuPaul’s traits. LUPONE EARNEST-CITE ICONIC “RUPAUL’S DRACES” His amazing host chopsComplete with more costume changes than you could count, and the after party went well in the evening with special cocktails from co -sponsor Hornitos Tequila.
Check out the full list of 2025 Glaad Media Awards winners here.
