Watch: At GLAAD Awards George Takei Wins Prestigious Award, Says ‘It’s OK To Be Takei’

Saturday night at the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, actor and LGBT activist George Takei was awarded the prestigious Vito Russo award, named for GLAAD’s co-founder and the author of The Celluloid Closet. Takei, as usual, was self-depricating, effervescent, and delightful. 

“Tonight, I know it’s OK to be Takei,” the 77-year old beloved star told the audience at the Waldorf Astoria, to laughter and applause. “I’m so glad to be Takei.”

Expressing his appreciation for the Vito Russo award, Takei announced it is “charged with meaning, with potency.”

“We’ve come a long way,” Takei observed, “from Stonewall to the Waldorf Astoria.”

“In the 25 years since its founding, GLAAAD has dramatically, dramatically changed American society for gay, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender people,” Takei told th audience of about 3000. “I know, because, as a closeted kid growing up in Los Angeles, many years before gay, or GLAAD, all I saw of gays in movies and television, or heard on radio, were caricatures of people who were mocked and laughed at or pitied, or hated.

“The media stripped us of all humanity and made us into pathetic stereotypes. The media then was a soul-crushing monster. GLAAD took on this formidable beast with its media savvy, political acumen and the power of its advocacy and transformed the media into a powerful force for change.”

Takei noted that “GLAAD inspired others into action, but added that there’s much more work to be done.

“We have come a long way, but, as long as LGBT people can be fired from their job for simply being who they are, our work isn’t done yet,” Takei said, to cheers. “As long as young people are kicked out of their families just for being who they are, our work is not done. As long as people are bullied into feeling that their lives are so hopeless that they are driven to self-destructive acts, our work is not done.”

GLAAD notes the “GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.”

Takei concluded that he and GLAAD will continue to be working for equality, for all people, including young straight couples, “for they are going to be making the gay babies of tomorrow.”

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