For the third year in a row, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) entertainment network Logo will hold the "Trailblazer Honors," a television special that recognizes and celebrates pioneers whose work has contributed to the fight for queer liberation.
This year the network will honor Harvey Fierstein, an actor whose work introduced LGBT characters and storylines to audiences long before queer issues became folded into the mainstream. Fierstein co-wrote the smash hit "Kinky Boots" alongside Cyndi Lauper, wrote and starred in "Torch Song Trilogy" and appeared in "Mrs. Doubtfire" -- just to name a few.
Having worked on both Broadway and Hollywood, Fierstein has also been an outspoken and fierce advocate for queer people politically and socially, speaking out about the HIV/AIDS crisis and delivering speeches at Pride marches.
“In prep for this lovely honor, Logo sent me a bio they’d put together of my accomplishments. YIKES! It looks like I’ve done a lot but, truthfully, none of it was done alone,” Fierstein said in a statement. “There’s been an unseen army of contemporaries and pioneers who’ve come before me that has made everything I’ve achieved possible. I hope, by accepting this honor from Logo, that I am helping to celebrate our entire community of LGBT warriors.”
Also being honored alongside Fierstein is historic LGBT publication The Advocate, first published in 1967, which began as a newsletter detailing the rights of LGBT people in case of arrest.
“We are so excited to accept this award for The Advocate’s five decades of journalism on behalf of the LGBT community,” Matthew Breen, editor-in-chief of The Advocate, said in a statement. “It is a profound responsibility to chronicle our triumphs and tragedies, victories and defeats. And we strive to do it with the integrity shown to us by previous generations of brave editors, reporters, photographers, and publishers, who proved to the world that our stories must be told.”
Logo's "Trailblazer Honors" will air Saturday, June 25 at 8 pm. ET/PT.