Ruby Rose to be honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

Actress Ruby Rose will be honoured for promoting gay equality and acceptance at the upcoming GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles.

The Orange is the New Black star has been named as the recipient of this year's (16) Stephen F. Kolzak Award, named after a beloved casting director, who devoted the last part of his life to raising awareness about the discrimination faced by gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive people.

The 29-year-old follows in the footsteps of her OITNB co-star Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Chaz Bono, Melissa Etheridge, and Sir Ian McKellen, who are all past recipients.

Identifying as a lesbian, actress and DJ Ruby has encouraged the better understanding of gender identities and in 2014, she wrote, produced, and starred in the short film Break Free, a tribute to "gender fluid" people that became a viral hit, garnering more than 17 million views on YouTube.

Ruby joins Demi Lovato among this year's GLAAD Media Awards honourees - the Heart Attack singer was previously announced as the recipient of the 2016 Vanguard Award.