Actress Julia Roberts was among those
honored at Friday's 10th annual GLSEN Respect Awards at
the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight
Education Network, works to create a safe space in schools for
children who are or may be perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender.
Roberts accepted the group's
Humanitarian Award, the night's top honor, on behalf of herself and
husband Danny Moder, who both worked on HBO's Emmy-winning AIDS drama
The Normal Heart.
“A humanitarian is a person who
brings attention to the welfare and good works of others, so in that
regard we are all that,” Roberts said.
“What is the point if not to be kind
and unconditional in our love and generosity toward one another?
What is the point of a day that doesn't have some kind of positive
feeling?” she added.
In accepting the group's Chairman's
Award, NBC Chairman Bob Greenblatt, who is openly gay, said he had “a
hand in bringing many LGBT folks to television.”
“I did it to show America how normal
and universal our stories are,” Greenblatt.
Dancer-choreographer Derek Hough, who
is best know for his work on the ABC reality series Dancing with
the Stars, was honored with GLSEN's Inspiration Award.
Hough said he had been bullied while
growing up: “I was bullied as a boy. Strung up by my ankles and
spit on and a gun to my head. Dancing was my GLSEN.”