Janet will receive the Vanguard Award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) at the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on April 26th at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Janet has been a long-time ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. In 1997, the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum applauded her exploration of sexual orientation issues in her top-selling album The Velvet Rope, which also received the award for Outstanding Music Album at the 9th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Janet has also been regocnized for her work around HIV/AIDS activism by AIDS Project Los Angeles and the Human Rights Campaign.
The Vanguard Award is presented to media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Past recipients include Charlize Theron, Antonio Banderas, Eric McCormack, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, and Whoopi Goldberg.