Hollywood actor Zachary Quinto on
Friday said that he was humbled to accept an award honoring his LGBT
advocacy.
The 38-year-old Quinto accepted the
Champion Award at the 11th annual GLSEN Respect Awards at
the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight
Education Network, works to create a safe space in schools for
children who are or may be perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender.
Star Trek director J.J. Abrams
presented Quinto's award.
“To know Zachary Quinto and see the
choices he makes and the way he chooses to live his life is to
respect him and to love him,” Abrams said.
“It’s been less than five years
since I made the decision to come out publicly,” Quinto told the
crowd, “and in that short time, we've made more social and
legislative progress as a community than any other time in the
history of our nation. And that's truly a humbling realization and
one that should cause all of us to swell with pride and gratitude to
be alive [at] this most vital and exciting time. We have triumphed
in so many ways recently.”
“In that triumph, we stand on the
shoulders of many pioneers and fighters and younger people who never
had the good fortune to witness the fruits of their labors. To them,
we all owe a … debt of gratitude and in the memory of those truer
champions than I will ever be, I humbly accept this honor,” he
added.
Justin
Timberlake and Jessica Biel were honored with the group's Inspiration
Award.