Keke Palmer opened up about sexuality and gender while being honored Saturday by the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
“I’m so grateful to be here today to be embraced by a community that I’ve always felt accepted by, and a part of,” the “Nope” star. “I’ve always been my own person. Sexuality and identity for me has always been confusion. You know, it’s, ‘I never felt straight enough. I never felt gay enough. And I never felt woman enough. I never felt man enough.’ You know, I always felt like I was a little bit of everything.”
Palmer was presented with a Vanguard Award from Karamo Brown during the center’s annual gala, which took place at the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel.
“So often, I lead with masculinity. And as a woman, I’ve always been met with so much disdain, you know what I mean?” Palmer said. “I think so much of that came from who I thought I had to be to get respect, admiration and love. And I’ve always really wanted to be like my father…to want to be taken seriously and not diminish because I was a woman. You know, that’s always been a source of — I guess you would say — pain and resentment.”
Pamela Anderson and Orville Peck at The Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala held at the Fairmont Century Plaza on April 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Buckner for Variety
Palmer choked back tears as she continued. “Why did my gender have to define the power I have in the world? And why does my gender get to decide my sexuality?” she asked. “You know, since I was younger, I always questioned the boxes I was forced to be in and it starts with who you’re supposed to be as a child, you’re supposed to be as a black person, or whatever the background you are from…Then those walls just try to cave you in from every damn angle, who you are as a creative, who you are as a friend.”
She added, “I’m truly so grateful to be seen in this room because I know I’m surrounded by people who know without a doubt what it’s like to decide to be who you are in a world that tells you to be everything but yourself.”
Ts Madison and Adam Lambert at The Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala held at the Fairmont Century Plaza on April 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Buckner for Variety
Pamela Anderson also received a Vanguard Award. Del Shores and Mayim Bialik delivered a tribute to the late Leslie Jordan. Ts Madison (“Bros”) hosted the gala, which raised more than $1 million for the center.
Mayim Bialik and Del Shores at The Los Angeles LGBT Center Gala held at the Fairmont Century Plaza on April 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Michael Buckner for Variety
The evening’s guest list included Orville Peck, “Fire Island” star Zane Phillips, Trixie Mattel, Symone, Sarah Hyland, Isis King, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Gigi Goode.
Adam Lambert introduced a performance by Durand Bernarr.