Christina Aguilera Video Recognized By Gay & Lesbian Alliance

03/07/2003 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Jason Gelman

(3/7/03, 3 p.m. ET) -- Christina Aguilera will be presented with a special award for her music video "Beautiful" at the 14th Annual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is recognizing the singer for using gay and transgender images in the clip directed by Jonas Ackerlund ( Madonna ).

"I am delighted to be honored by GLAAD for the 'Beautiful' music video," Aguilera said. "The song 'Beautiful' is about being or feeling unaccepted for merely being yourself, yet knowing through any hardships, we are all beautiful despite the differences or insecurities. My video captures the reality that gay and transgender people are beautiful, even though prejudice and discrimination against them still exists."

The clip highlights a diverse group of people discovering their own inner beauty, including two gay men romantically kissing on a public bench, and a man slowly transforming himself into a woman. Later in the video the man can be seen smiling at his feminine image in the mirror.

"Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' video conveys a powerful message about self-respect and empowerment," said Joan M. Garry , GLAAD's executive director. "At a time when many in the music industry avoid lesbian and gay themes altogether, or even worse, use defamatory images to appear 'edgy,' Christina's decision to feature gay and transgender people in her video is a strong statement of inclusion, affirmation, and acceptance."

The GLAAD Media Awards honor individuals and projects in the media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.

-- Jason Gelman, New York

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