The second of three award shows held this spring by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to honor the most outstanding images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community in the media will take place in Los Angeles on April 21.
Among those honored at the ceremony will be 19-year-old Josh Hutcherson who starred in 2010's "The Kids Are All Right" and can currently be seen in the massive hit "The Hunger Games." The actor will receive the 2012 GLAAD Vanguard Award which is presented to a member of the entertainment community who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for LGBT people. Hutcherson is the youngest person to ever receive the award, which previously has been given to Charlize Theron, Kristin Chenoweth, and Elizabeth Taylor, among others.
Hutcherson is being honored for his work with the LGBT which includes the founding of Straight But Not Narrow, a campaign that "is primarily directed to the young, straight male by using comedy and their peers to positively influence their views on LGBT teens." The teen, who filmed a video for SBNN (see above) told SamaritanMag.com, "...[the campaign] hits close to home for me. I have a lot of gay friends in Los Angeles. My roommate’s gay and I lost two uncles when I was young to AIDS, so it’s an important cause in my family."
In a press release announcing Hutcherson's Vanguard honor, GLAAD's President, Herndon Graddick, said:
"Emerging as a leader in a new generation of equality advocates, Josh Hutcherson has consistently used his platform to help young people understand that no one should face discrimination simply because of who they are. Josh's commitment to achieving equality for every American is a message he carries in his work both on screen and off, earning him the honor of being GLAAD's youngest-ever Vanguard Award recipient."
Also appearing at the Los Angeles GLAAD Awards will be Ellen DeGeneres, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Chaz Bono, who will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award. For more information on the event and to buy tickets, click here.
To see our recap of the New York GLAAD Awards, held earlier this year, click here.
To see 11 other straight guys we love for being allies, check out the slideshow below.
Before You Go
