Former US president Joe Biden has been recognised for his long-standing support for LGBTQ+ rights after receiving a top honour at the Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) Stonewall Awards.
Biden made a surprise appearance at the annual Stonewall Awards brunch on 7 June, where he was presented with the LGBT Ally Champion Award, recognising his record as a political advocate for equality.
The awards, held during Pride Month, celebrate individuals and organisations who have made a significant impact on LGBTQ+ communities. Organisers said Biden’s recognition reflected his decades of support for equality measures, including backing marriage equality, anti-discrimination protections and the appointment of LGBTQ+ figures to senior government roles.
In his acceptance speech, Biden described the fight for equality as central to American values. “There’s nothing more American than the fight for equality,” he told the audience, linking the ongoing struggle to the origins of the country itself.
He also paid tribute to early LGBTQ+ activists, acknowledging the risks they took during the Stonewall uprising and beyond. “You risked a hell of a lot… your very lives for the cause of equality,” he said, drawing connections between historic activism and the challenges facing LGBTQ+ people today.
Addressing younger members of the community, Biden offered a message of reassurance amid what he described as a difficult political climate. He urged LGBTQ+ youth to embrace who they are, telling them: “Just be you… you’re loved.”
The former president’s appearance was introduced by Pennsylvania state representative Malcolm Kenyatta, who highlighted Biden’s record in office, including appointing Pete Buttigieg as the first openly gay cabinet member and Rachel Levine as the first openly transgender person confirmed by the US Senate.
The PGN Stonewall Awards, founded by activist and publisher Mark Segal, are among the longest-running LGBTQ+ honours in the United States, with recipients selected for their contributions to the community and broader equality efforts.
Biden’s award was presented alongside other honours recognising local activists and organisations working to advance LGBTQ+ rights and visibility in Philadelphia and beyond.
Scene was founded in Brighton in 1993, at a time when news stories about Pride protests were considered radical.
Since then, Scene has remained proudly independent, building a platform for queer voices. Every subscription helps us to report on the stories that matter to LGBTQ+ people across the UK and beyond.
Your support funds our journalists and contributes to Pride Community Foundation’s grant-making and policy work.
Member discussion