Shonda Rhimes, Matt Bomer, Lena Waithe to be Honored at Human Rights Campaign’s 2023 National Dinner

variety.com:

BreAnna Bell Shonda Rhimes, Lena Waithe and Matt Bomer will each be honored by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) at this year’s National Dinner.

The big event will take place on October 14 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The “Bridgerton” showrunner will be presented with the National Equality Award, recognizing her efforts to publicly stand up for the LGBTQ community, while Waithe will receive the Visibility Award, which recognizes LGBTQ+ leaders that represent living openly and authentically in all facets of her life. “I am honored to be receiving this award from an organization that does so much to combatoppression, exclusion and hate,” said Rhimes. “I am proud to be an ally in this fight.” Waithe shares, “Centering the intersection of queerness and Blackness has been at the forefront of my work and drives me to continue to share Black queer stories for myself, my community and theworld.

I am unapologetically Black, queer and a woman—telling intersectional stories that spotlight our authentic experiences is a crucial path towards a future where equal protection and equal opportunity is not a privilege, but a guarantee.” Bomer will be honored with the Impact Award, which recognizes members of the LGBTQ+ community that are dedicated to championing and advocating for queer issues in every corner of their life. “I am honored to be receiving the Impact Award from the Human Rights Campaign,” said MattBomer. “LGBTQ+ people are facing an all-out-assault on our basic rights—putting us in harm’sway and trying to push us out of the public eye.