The annual Native Son Awards were founded by Emil Wilbekin and “celebrates black gay and queer men who are mavericks in their profession, community, and the world,” according to the organization.
Lil Nas X Tells Native Son Awards: ‘Coming Out Was ‘One of the Scariest Moments’ of My Life
May 22, 2021
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Lil Nas X, being honored by Lena Waithe at The Native Son Awards, told the audience that coming out was “one of the scariest moments” of his life.
Laithe noted that his pioneering win of a Country Music Award in 2019 is “helping shift hearts and minds by breaking down decades of stigma between two traditional marginalized groups… he’s now allowing queer black kids everywhere to feel seen and know that anything is possible. The world needs that, and the world needs him.”
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????????????https://t.co/rBGzKbFr2n pic.twitter.com/m8Wfq4Qd7z— nope ???? (@LilNasX) May 22, 2021
According to The New York Post: The phenom revealed that he’s gay in June 2019, just as his mega-hit “Old Town Road” was hitting the peak of its popularity. He said, “I was afraid because I knew the world was watching, and all I ever saw for boys like me was judgment and ridicule, but it was because the world was watching, that I knew I had to stand in my truth.”
Lil Nas X promised to continue to open doors for black queer men in his acceptance speech.
“Some people say I am pushing an agenda, and I am. It’s called liberation. There’s no road map when you’re the first to break a barrier, and I hope that one day it’s no longer groundbreaking for queer artists to find mainstream success…. Until that day comes, there’s work to do and I will continue to do my part.”
