Zachary Quinto to be honored for LGBT advocacy

Actor Zachary Quinto is set to be honored for his ongoing advocacy for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The Star Trek star will receive the Champion Award at the upcoming Respect Awards hosted by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), an organization focused on reducing discrimination and bullying of LGBT youngsters in schools.

"We are proud to honor Zachary Quinto as a visible member of the LGBT community who uses his platform to bring attention to the struggles that many LGBT youth still face," GLSEN executive director Dr. Eliza Byard said in a statement.

Quinto was prompted to "come out" as gay in a 2011 interview with New York magazine after reading about the frequent bullying and suicides among youngsters who are struggling with being truthful about their sexuality.

In the interview, he said, "As a gay man, it made me feel like there's still so much work to be done, and there's still so many things that need to be looked at and addressed."

Justin Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel will also be recognized at this year's (15) prizegiving, which will take place on 23 October (15) in Beverly Hills.