Outright International Holds Their 27th Courage Awards And Gala In New York City

For more than three decades Outright International has been devoted to promoting the human rights of LGBTIQ people around the world.

Early on in their history when the organization was founded in 1990 (and originally called the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission), they were in the trenches documenting abuses and putting these issues front and center.

Casts of Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Melissa Navia, Jess Bush, Wilson Cruz, Blu del Barrio, Celia Rose GoodingPhoto byCourtesy Outright International

Now with staff in more than 12 nations they partner with local organizations that work with LGBTIG communities. And they advocate for change globally as LGBTIG continue to deal with discrimination and violence and advocate for inclusion and equality.

RuPaul's Drag Race alum Mrs. Kasha Davis and the night’s host BeBe Zahara BenetPhoto byCourtesy Outright International

Founded in 1990, Outright International works with the United Nations, regional human rights monitoring bodies, civil society organizations, and corporate and philanthropic partners. The organization holds consultative status at the United Nations, where it serves as the secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group. 

“The global movement for LGBTIQ human rights has many champions,” says Maria Sjödin, Executive Director of Outright International. “They are the activists who put their lives on the line every day. They are the public policymakers who find courage to speak out in support of our communities. They are corporate LGBTIQ leaders and allies who demand inclusion. They are philanthropists who ensure the movement is resourced to fight the opposition seeking to erase LGBTIQ people. And they are social and cultural influencers who loudly proclaim that change cannot wait. At Celebration of Courage, we acknowledge and thank these changemakers, and recommit ourselves to the fight ahead, as no one can be left behind.”

Just last week, Outright International held their 27th Courage Awards and Gala at Pier Sixty in New York. In the first time in the gala's history the organization raised $1 million towards their continued global human rights effort.  “When I took this position, I dreamed of having an event that raised $1 million,” said Sjödin. “Tonight, that happened!”

Guests, included  host BeBe Zahara Benet from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Alyson Palmer, Elizabeth Ziff and Amy Ziff from the indie pop trio BETTY, Mrs. Kasha Davis from RuPaul’s Drag Race, YouTube star Frederic Chen and Kenita Placide and Lysanne Charles from the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality.

Among the honorees were the queer members of the cast and production team of the Paramount+ original series Star Trek: Discovery from CBS Studios which included Wilson Cruz, Anthony Rapp, Blu del Barrio, Tig Notaro, Mary Wiseman, and Michelle Paradise. They were awarded this year’s Outspoken Award.

The Star Trek franchise seemed like a natural honoree. Both the Star Trek franchise and Outright share core values like education, care, compassion, diversity, equity, inclusion, advocacy, authentic LGBTIQ representation and storytelling.

"Through the show, the LGBTIQ community is being seen and heard in the ways we want to be seen and heard, as our truest selves, as the heroes of our own stories and our own fight for dignity and equality,” said Cruz.“Members of the queer cast of Star Trek: Discovery are global LGBTIQ icons who are courageous and elevating the visibility, voice, and platform of millions of queer people around the world that battle discrimination and risk to their personal safety, every day.”

Other honorees included The Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE), which received the Felipa de Souza Award and Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, which received the Outstanding Award.

For Celia Rose Gooding, who stars in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the award was particularly meaningful, even if she’s on a different Star Trek show. “It means the moon to me to be part of a franchise that is so committed to authentic queer stories,” says Gooding. “As a queer person, it’s important to me to see representation of my community that is honest and uplifting, truthful and joyful. And it’s so heartwarming to be a part of that.”

Blu del Barrio, who plays Adira Tal a non-binary human in Star Trek: Discovery, found it overwhelming to be honored with the Outspoken Award. As del Barrio explained they didn’t realize how important visibility in this industry was when they first joined the cast.

“I was worried that I wasn’t doing enough to help our community and taking a step back, I realize that I didn’t fully understand that I was Trans until I saw another Trans person on TV. It is a huge deal, and I didn’t really realize that until recently, but we’ve made TV and film such a big part of our society in the way that our lives go as human beings, and we need to see our lives reflected back to us,” shares del Barrio “It gives us validation. It gives parents validation that their kids are ok and that what they're saying is true. I understand how much the past three years of my work on the show means.”

Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, Blu del Barrio. The cast of Star Trek: Discovery accepting the Outspoken AwardPhoto byCourtesy Outright International