By BetteAndTinaForever

Earlier in October, the Matthew Shepard Foundation announced the 2007 Honors recipients and on October 27, 2007 they were recognized at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Alison Sweeney (Days of Our Lives) and Peter Paige (Queer as Folk) as the Foundation played tribute to trailblazers in the movement to erase hate in America.

As usual, the event began with the red carpet arrivals and I was waiting at the end of the line to conduct a few interviews. Among the celebrities and guests there were presenters, like Jennifer Beals, T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), Judith Light (Ugly Betty), Foundation Honor recipients, and supporters, such as Thea Gill (Queer as Folk) and Nadia Bjorlin (Days of Our Lives).

I was able to talk to Jennifer Beals, Thea Gill, Peter Paige, Elen Lauper and a few others, so check the interviews that will be posted on the site later.

The event began with a very touching video presentation about Matthew Shepard, his life and the news about his death. After the video, the guests and the honorees were welcomed by Judy Shepard, executive director of the Mathew Shepard Foundation. She briefly talked about the purpose of the Foundation that her husband and she founded in memory of their 21-year-old son, Matthew, who was severely beaten and left to die in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998. The Foundation was created with a mission to “Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion, and Acceptance” though its varied education, outreach, and advocacy programs.

The evening continued with the celebrities presenting the 2007 Honor recipients, each accompanied by special musical performances by Randi Driscoll, Angela McCluskey, dancers from the GLASS Youth & Family Services and others.

Among the 2007 Matthew Shepard Foundation Honors recipients were U.S. Senators Edward Kennedy and Gordon Smith; U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Christopher Shays, and John Lewis; Cyndi and Elen Lauper; and Terry DeCrescenzo, the founder of the GLASS Youth & Family Services.

I was seated all the way up on the balcony but I could see Jennifer Beals below at the table, breathtaking in her beautiful dress and very cute when she put on her glasses. She was the last one to present the Honor Award to Cyndi Lauper and her openly gay sister Elen.

Jennifer was presenting the award together with Lisa Marie Presley and they talked about Cyndi and Elen’s contribution to the music world and the GLBT community. They were talking so fast that I couldn’t follow the whole speech fast enough, and this was one time I wished I knew how to write shorthand. The recording of the event wasn’t allowed, so I had to rely on my hand and my brain that was still not fully functioning since my interviews.

This is not verbatim, but in short, Jennifer and Lisa Marie said that the Foundation’s goal is that every person can feel excepted as they are. It can’t be done alone but hate can be replaced with tolerance and acceptance. Cyndi and Elen Lauper are the happiest, coolest sister act that help to move in that direction.

Back in the early 80’s, equality wasn’t the most acceptable thing but Cyndi was there, making sure that her videos included everyone. When she was asked why she was doing it, Cyndi replied that “you just have to do the right thing sometimes.”

Cyndi’s latest “True Colors Tour 2007” was able to raise money and educate about the need in the community. Cyndi’s sister, Elen, is dedicating her time to GLBT issues and offering free acupuncture services to people with HIV in Los Angeles. She’s been with her partner for 14 years and she’s a real role model who shows again and again that love doesn’t take a holiday just because some of the family members don’t fit, that family has to show acceptance and always love.

After the presentations were over, the guests and honorees met in the lobby for an after-party. Jennifer Beals didn’t stay, she left right after the event through the back exit and was encountered by a few pushy autograph hunters, mostly males. One of my friends, who wasn’t able to attend the event, was waiting there just for a glimpse of the “goddess” and she was the only one whose name Jennifer Beals asked and then signed a personalized autograph for her. Needless to say, my friend was on cloud nine after that for the rest of the evening and weekend. So was I.