British Olympic diver Tom Daley will be the recipient of the inaugural George Takei Advocate Award in recognition of his contributions to the LGBTQ+ Advocacy.
Takei, who has used his voice and fame to advance LGBTQ+ rights, is the inspiration for the prestigious award to be given to Daley at the 50th-anniversary gala of PFLAG (formerly Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) in New York on March 3.
In an earlier interview with the HuffPost, Daley shared the experience of the struggles he faced before and after coming out. A PFLAG representative told the publication that the award recognizes public figures who use their platform to “create a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.”
Daley, who first publicly revealed his sexual identity via YouTube back in 2013, won gold at the men’s synchronized 10-meter platform at the 2020 Tokyo Games held in 2021. In 2017, he married Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and together, they became fathers of a 4-year-old son, Robert Ray Black-Daley.
In an earlier interview with the HuffPost, Daley shared the experience of the struggles he faced before and after coming out.
I think it’s important, if you’re a visible, queer person, to try and help other people and not just sit with your privilege. I was so scared. I was so worried about losing sponsors. My dad had died a couple of years before that, and I wanted to still be able to support my family. When people are telling you that you might lose sponsors, of course, it’s going to scare you into staying in the closet for longer than you’d want to.
“Being yourself in the spotlight isn’t easy,” the 28-year-old athlete was quoted as saying. “Leaders like George Takei and PFLAG have paved the way and given LGBTQ+ people the tools and resources to advocate for ourselves and for our community.”
Hosted by comedian Amber Ruffin, the event will have appearances by actors Rose Abdoo and Tati Gabrielle,…
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