Singer, songwriter, and stage performer Adam Lambert will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco, E! Online first reported today. Lambert will be presented with the award on May 11, 2013 at the Hilton San Francisco – Union Square.
Take a look at this year's nominees and get your tickets or sign up to watch the red carpet live stream.
Upon the release of Lambert's second album Trespassing, of which he is the executive producer and principal writer, Lambert became the first out LGBT artist to reach number one on the Billboard 200. The album made numerous year-end "best of" lists, including Rolling Stone and People, and Lambert supported the album by embarking on a successful world tour. Lambert also performed with legendary rock band Queen in critically-acclaimed sold-out shows across Europe. He has also established himself as one of the few high-profile Western acts across Asia with recent TV performances on the finale of The Voice of China and the MNET Music awards, reaching more than three billion viewers.
As an out mainstream pop star, Lambert has used his status to help advance equality and raise visibility of the LGBT community. In September 2012, he participated in a benefit performance to raise money for marriage equality efforts in Maryland and engaged in several interviews, in which he spoke about the importance of empowering and supporting LGBT young people. He also took part in Spirit Day by going purple and showing his support to LGBT youth. Lambert has also been recognized by other LGBT advocacy organizations, including Equality California's Los Angeles Equality Awards and the PFLAG National Los Angeles event. In December, he performed at "Cyndi Lauper and Friends: Home for the Holidays," a benefit concert supporting homeless LGBT youth.
Glaad Spirit Day! I support LBGT youth against bullies! Put up your forcefields and don't let anyone take your energy!!
— Adam Lambert (@adamlambert) October 20, 2011
"Adam Lambert's continued success as one of the world's best-selling pop stars shows LGBT people that they can be themselves and make it in a mainstream industry that many feel unfairly rejects them," said GLAAD's Wilson Cruz. "Adam is fearless on stage and astonishes audiences in every country he performs in."
The Davidson/Valentini Award is named after Craig Davidson, GLAAD's first executive director, and his partner Michael Valentini. The award is presented to an out LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community. Previous Davidson/Valentini honorees include Lee Daniels, Chad Allen, Ilene Chaiken, Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, Alec Mapa, B.D. Wong, and Sandra Bernhard.
The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD's work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.
The GLAAD Media Awards are presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo. The San Francisco ceremony is presented locally by Southwest Airlines. The GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles will be held on April 20 at the JW Marriott.
The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are executive produced by Marc Honaker, Director of Creative Development at GLAAD, and by Josh Wood, founder and president of Josh Wood Productions. "I am very proud that my company is producing the GLAAD Media Awards this year alongside such great collaborators. I have always been a fan of the organization and the important work GLAAD is doing to make the world a better place for the LGBT community. The fight is not over in the United States, or globally, and I admire GLAAD for inspiring and changing opinions through media," said Wood.
Emmy Award winning production designer James Connelly is designing this year's sets across the three cities. Acclaimed producer and editor Brett Henrichsen is also contributing to this year's GLAAD Media Awards.
For ticket information visit: www.glaad.org/mediaawards
To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.