Advocacy organization GLAAD revealed Tuesday that Kacey Musgraves will receive the Vanguard Award, which is presented to an LGBTQ ally who has made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of the community, at the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles next month.
Among the country artists’ activism, she recently joined GLAAD and Equality Texas to raise awareness around anti-LGBTS bills proposed in the Texas state legislature. In 2017, she penned a love letter to the LGBTQ community on behalf of Billboard’s Pride Month campaign, addressing the lack of LGBTQ acceptance in country music and sharing the impact that the community has had on her. “While the career stuff is great, it’s fleeting. You changed me as a human,” Musgraves wrote.
Her 2013 single “Follow Your Arrow” features lyrics such as “make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls if that’s what you’re into … just follow your arrow whereever it points,” and was released as a single on country radio. Elsewhere, Musgraves has often collaborated with LGBTQ artists such as Troye Sivan. Her music video for “Rainbow” featured a queer young man enduring family conflict at home due to his sexuality.
“From speaking out against anti-LGBTQ legislation in her home state of Texas, to raising awareness about bullying affecting LGBTQ youth, to uplifting the work of LGBTQ artists, Kacey continues to raise the bar for what it means to be an authentic ally and to inspire her fans to do the same,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, in a statement.
Previous honorees of the Vanguard Award include Beyonce and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Antonio Banderas, Patricia Arquette, Elizabeth Taylor, Kerry Washington and Cher.
The GLAAD Media Awards will take place at the Beverly Hilton on April 2. Among the additional honors, Tick, Tick… Boom! star Andrew Garfield will present the Stephen F. Kolzak award to Pose star Michaela Jae Rodriguez.
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