GLAAD’s Vanguard Award to be presented to Josh Hutcherson of “The Hunger Games” on Saturday

GLAAD’s Vanguard Award has gone to such legendary straight allies to the LGBT community as Elizabeth Taylor, Cher, Liza Minnelli and Shirley MacLaine.

It has also gone to people like Charlize Theron and Kristin Chenoweth who, at the peak of their fame and success, have spoken out loudly for LGBT equality.

It’s also gone to Jennifer Aniston. Not sure what that was about except that she fell in love with a gay guy in Object of My Affection.

Well, GLAAD has just announced the recipient of this year’s Vanguard Award which will be presented on Saturday night at the GLAAD Media Awards in LA.

I was ready to be skeptical because it’s going to a 19-year-old actor named Josh Hutcherson who is one of the stars of The Hunger Games and played the son of a lesbian couple in The Kids Are All Right.

Is this a case of Jennifer Aniston deja vu?

Not a chance.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to honor a young star who is using his fame as a platform for LGBT equality.

Read all about his efforts in my article posted over at Gay Star News. And below is a video Josh made for a campaign he co-founded called Straight But Not Narrow which is working to positively impact the way teens view and treat their LGBT peers.