Beyonce and Jay-Z honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

Beyonce and Jay-Z were honoured for their contribution to the LGBT community at the GLAAD Media Awards.

The celebrity power couple were part of a star-studded audience for the 30th annual awards show, which celebrates the gay community and took place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Also among the attendees were Gwyneth Paltrow, Adam Lambert and Jameela Jamil, as 15 of 27 prizes were handed out, with the rest set to be awarded at a separate ceremony in New York on May 4.

Beyonce and Jay-Z took to the stage to accept the vanguard award, for making a “significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people”.

Jay Z took the opportunity to pay tribute to his mother, Gloria Carter, who is a lesbian and who accepted a special recognition award on behalf of her son last year.

He said: “Thank you, GLAAD, for this amazing honour and having us this evening. Life, this journey, is filled with highs, lows and a lot of learning. This is a momentous night and I also want to honour my mother who received an award last year.”

Beyonce said she was “overwhelmed” with the award, before paying tribute to the LGBT community and urging people to “love and support those closest to you”.

She said there was a “stigma” in black families about accepting gay relatives, before dedicating the award to her uncle, who is gay.

Beyonce said he “lived his truth, he was brave and unapologetic during a time when this country wasn’t as accepting”.

Her voice cracked and Jay-Z put his hand on her back when she recalled her uncle’s battle with HIV, describing it as “one of the most painful experiences” she had been through.

Teen romance Love, Simon, about a closeted high school student who falls for an anonymous classmate online, won outstanding film while drama series Vida took home outstanding comedy.

Netflix’s makeover show Queer Eye won best reality programme. Will And Grace star Sean Hayes took home the Stephen F Kolzak Award for his work helping to eliminate homophobia.

The actor, 48, said he was grateful for the recognition before aiming a jibe at the US vice president Mike Pence, who has been accused of being anti-LGBT.

He said the GLAAD Awards could be Pence’s worst nightmare or dream come true, adding: “We will never know.”

Hayes also made a joke about Empire star Jussie Smollett, who in January was accused of paying two personal trainers to attack him in a bid to boost his career.

Prosecutors dropped all charges against Smollett this week.

Hayes said he has been using the Smollett workout to get in shape, explaining: “You hire two trainers and sweat for eight weeks.”

Previous winners of the Stephen F Kolzak Award include Sir Ian McKellen, Ruby Rose and Jim Parsons.