At the 2023 Grammy Awards ceremony, “Break My Soul” singer Beyoncé broke the record for most Grammy wins, with 32. Not only did she become the greatest of all time, but she once again proved to be an ally to the LGBTQ and HIV communities.

While accepting the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for Renaissance, Beyoncé thanked her family and fans and gave a heartfelt shout-out to “the queer community for your love and for inventing this genre” and to her deceased uncle Johnny, whom she said was there in spirit.

Members of the Hive—as Beyoncé’s fans call themselves—and readers of POZ already know why her uncle was particularly relevant to this award. He was gay, and the album Renaissance is a historical homage to the dance music genre so embraced by LGBTQ people.

In 2019, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z were the Vanguard honorees at the annual media awards ceremony by GLAAD, a national LGBTQ advocacy organization. During that speech, she elaborated on her love of the queer community and her uncle Johnny:

“We’re here to promote love for every human being, and change starts with supporting the people closest to you. So let’s tell them they are loved. Let’s remind them they are beautiful. Let’s speak out and protect them, and parents, let’s love our kids in their truest form. We’d like to request that we continue to shift the stigmas in this community—especially the stigmas in Black families towards accepting queer Black and brown men and women around the world. 

“I want to dedicate this award to my uncle Johnny—the most fabulous gay man I’ve ever met who helped raise me and my sister. He lived his truth. He was brave and unapologetic during a time when this country wasn’t as accepting. Witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I’ve ever lived. I’m hopeful that his struggle served to open pathways for other young people to live more freely.”