For the third year in a row, queer entertainment network Logo brought together some of the biggest movers and shakers across the spectrum and queer and trans identity for a night of community, solidarity and celebration.
The Logo Trailblazer Honors are an annual event that honors a handful of individuals and organizations whose work over the decades has played a significant role in the ongoing fight for queer liberation. The ceremony will be televised June 25 on VH1 and Logo at 8 p.m. ET/PT and spotlight Billie Jean King, Harvey Fierstein, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and The Advocate, among others.
This year's Trailblazer Honors felt particularly special and somber in wake of the June 12 Orlando massacre that killed 49 of our queer brothers, sisters and siblings. The special itself will be a culmination of Logo's day-long tribute to the victims on June 25 called "A Day of Remembrance." This tribute will include the airing of seminal queer films like “Rent,” “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Philadelphia."
In solidarity with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, Vice President Joe Biden recorded a special message that aired in conjunction with the special.
"I wish I could be there with you in person to honor some truly inspiring trailblazers," Biden said in his message, which can be viewed in the above video. "Each of you gives meaning to Harvey Milk’s words, 'Hope never remains silent.' And we need you. We need all of you. Because as we celebrate a year of equality in marriage, draconian state laws deny transgender Americans basic civil rights. And in nearly 70 countries, it’s a crime. It’s a crime to be who you are. And because the freedom to live freely means being free from bullying, free from harassment, and free from violence."
Other celebrities also recorded messages for the community and for Orlando, viewable in the clip below.
Thank you, Logo, for not only honoring those whose lives and work have played a monumental role in the ongoing fight for liberation, but for using this moment as a time to pay tribute to these fallen members of our family.
Logo's Trailblazer Honors will air on Saturday, June 25 on VH1 and Logo at 8 p.m.
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