Demi Lovato lands top gay honour

Demi Lovato is to be showered with love by her gay fans at the 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards.

The lovely Latina, who is in a serious romance with actor Wilmer Valderrama, will be honoured with the coveted Vanguard Award by the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender media advocacy organisation in Los Angeles next month (Apr16).

And Demi will be part of history as this year's GLAAD Media Awards will be televised for the first time in a decade.

The Vanguard Award is presented to "media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance". Previous honourees include Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez, Kristin Chenoweth, Charlize Theron, Elizabeth Taylor, Antonio Banderas, Drew Barrymore, Janet Jackson, and Sharon Stone.

Demi, who has tirelessly spoken out in support of full acceptance for LGBT people, has publicly celebrated her late gay grandfather, who came out in the 1960s, and whose courage she cites as a driving force compelling her to “stand up for what I believe in".

She became an instant gay icon after participating in LGBT pride celebrations in Los Angeles and New York, while her music video for Really Don't Care was filmed at the L.A. Pride rally.

The Heart Attack singer also portrayed a lesbian character on TV hit Glee, noting she hoped to "inspire people with my character to love who they are and accept who they are."

Demi has links to the GLAAD organisation, having served as ambassador for the group's annual anti-bullying campaign, Spirit Day. She took time off world tour dates to record a message for LGBT fans in Latin America, offering support and urging bullying victims to use the resources of Todo Mejora, the It Gets Better Project's Chilean affiliate.