2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar winners: From Taylor Swift to Luke Evans
Here's who took home awards are the biggest LGBTQ night of the year.
By Will Stroude
On Tuesday 1 December – World Aids Day – Attitude celebrated the ninth annual Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, from the Camden Roundhouse, London.
Hosted by comedian Tom Allen, the exclusive star-studded ceremony filmed over six days at the Roundhouse – with several guests linking in from Australia and the USA – honoured 14 award winners and welcomed a host of celebrity guests.
With a roll-call including Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Yungblud, NikkieTutorials, Russell Tovey, Paloma Faith, Michelle Visage, Munroe Bergdorf, Rosie Jones, Rina Sawayama, representatives of the NHS LGBTQ community and the entire cast and director of Ryan Murphy’s The Boys in the Band movie, it honoured LGBTQ stars and allies from across the globe.
The Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, are to benefit the Attitude Magazine Foundation for LGBTQ causes, which has raised and distributed more than £250,000 since summer 2018.
The show also featured films with Celebrity Masterchef winner Riyadh Khalaf and TV’s Judge Rob Rinder, who visited The Food Chain and Curly’s Legacy respectively, both previous beneficiaries of the Foundation’s support. You can donate £5 by texting Attitude5 to 70480 to aid the charity’s ongoing work.
The full list of winners of the 2020 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, are:
Attitude Icon Award, supported by Jaguar – Taylor Swift
“I just believe very firmly that everyone should be able to live their love story without fear of discrimination.”
The Film Award – The Boys in the Band
“This was a very important and meaningful project to all of us involved and to have it recognised is very special.”
The Music Award – Dua Lipa
“I’m urging all of us to wrap our arms around the young people in this community.”
Man of the Year, supported by Virgin Atlantic – Luke Evans
“Who we are and who we love has absolutely no effect on our abilities, our ambitions and our talents.”
The Ally Award, supported by Jaguar – Michelle Visage
“You need to stop making excuses for those in your lives that speak negatively about people in the LGBTQIA+ community.”
The Hero Award – Munroe Bergdorf
“I want to dedicate this to any trans kid that’s feeling alone and unlistened to by their parents or the British government. I want to dedicate this to Black young people, who are demonsised consistently in the press. i know that you guys are the future.”
The Community Award – LGBTQ NHS staff
“I don’t think that any of us has been ready to lose colleagues with whom we work daily.”
The Inspiration Award – NikkieTutorials
“That environment I had as a kid… every kid – every person out there – deserves.”
The Honorary Gay Award – Paloma Faith
“I consider you to be my tribe… I also want to give back to you whenever I can. As an ally and an ‘honourary gay’, proud is definitely an understatement.”
The Breakthrough Award – Rina Sawayama
“Being pansexual myself, I’ve been saved by the LGBTQ+ community.”
The Comedy Award – Rosie Jones
“For years I thought, ‘I’m not gay. I’m disabled, that’s my thing. I can’t tick two boxes – takes me that long to tick one!'”
The Culture Award – Russell Tovey
“People need mentors and people need to know there’s someone else in the world who’s like them so it’s less scary and they have ‘possibility models’.”
The Gamechanger Award – Yungblud
“Each and every one of us has the right to love and be loved in return.”
Attitude Icon Award, supported by Virgin Atlantic – Stephen Fry
“People are, generally speaking, so much better, kinder and nicer than you would believe.”
The Attitude Awards issue is out now to download and to order globally.
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