Olly Alexander takes a powerful stand for LGBT+ families at MTV awards in Hungary
(John Phillips/Getty Images for MTV)
Years & Years’ Olly Alexander championed LGBT+ adoption while presenting an award at the MTV EMAs in Budapest, Hungary.
The singer took a stand when presenting the award for Best Video, telling those watching that all of the nominees “support same-sex adoption as family is family”.
His comment come amid a fraught time for Hungary’s LGBT+ community. The government recently passed a new law banning the depiction of LGBT+ lives to under-18s, which has prompted the European Commission to launch legal action.
The ban the latest in a series of attacks on the LGBT+ community overseen by prime minister Viktor Orbán, including a ban on same-sex couples adopting children voted through in December 2020.
👀.@lilnasx, was clearly busy at the🚗 drive-thru, but his hard work payed off tonight with his #MTVEMA Best Video win! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/cxr8JoLqsJ
— MTV EMA (@mtvema) November 15, 2021
Alexander is no stranger to standing up for the LGBT+ community, previously using his platform to speak up about HIV awareness and mental health.
Several of the MTV EMA hosts and nominees also chose to support the LGBT+ community at the event, with US rapper Saweetie telling the crowd it is “always important we respect each other… that’s why it’s so important we stand up for the LGBTQ+ community”.
MTV, which made a deal two years ago to hold the show in Budapest, stood by its decision to go ahead with the awards in Hungary, saying it would use the event to show solidarity to the LGBT+ community.
In a memo to staffers, Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of MTV Entertainment Group Worldwide, said: “We should move forward, using the show as an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary and around the world as we continue to fight for equality for all.”
(Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images)
Olly Alexander also used the awards to confirm that he will not be joining Doctor Who amid rumours that he’s in “advanced talks” to replace Jodie Whittaker on the sci-fi show.
Russell T Davies, who cast Alexander in his epic HIV/AIDS epidemic drama It’s a Sin, is rejoining Doctor Who as showrunner.
In an interview with Metro, Alexander said: “I was so flattered and inspired by that, but I’m definitely not the next Doctor Who.
“It’s an amazing show and I was quite flattered that people thought I might be able to do it.”
