Wanda Sykes Urges Protection of Trans Community Amid Political Attacks

Pride and power took center stage at the second annual Critics Choice Association Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television, where a diverse slate of performers — including Niecy Nash-Betts, Wanda Sykes, Bowen Yang, Liv Hewson and Tramell Tillman — were recognized for their standout contributions to film and television.

Held Friday evening at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles, the event honored over a dozen artists whose work has helped to expand representation, deepen storytelling and bring visibility to a wide range of LGBTQ+ experiences. Throughout the night, honorees reflected on their journeys, the significance of their characters and the value of creative freedom.

In an uproarious and heartfelt speech, Emmy-winning actress Niecy Nash-Betts accepted the Groundbreaker Award for her work in FX’s Grotesquerie, reflecting on a career that’s redefined what leading ladies look and sound like. She brought the house down with a speech that was equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.

“I want to thank the utmost high for this divine queer moment,” Nash-Betts began, recalling her childhood dream. “When I was five, I said, ‘I want to be Black, fabulous and on TV.’” She went on to share a humorous nod to her real-life love story with wife Jessica Betts, saying, “Fast forward, I went to eat crabs with the most beautiful soul I’ve ever met, and my clothes fell off. And here we are.”

“Being a groundbreaker — it’s messy, it’s loud,” she continued. “Sometimes you’re breaking it with your bare hands while the world watches with arms crossed and side-eyes. But you keep going, not for the applause, but for the impact. Okay, maybe a little for the applause.” Ending her speech with a sharp, unapologetic mic-drop, Nash-Betts delivered a message to her longtime doubters: “Google me, bitch.”

Comedy icon Wanda Sykes, known for her work across stand-up, film, and TV, including The Upshaws and Black-ish, was honored for her decades-long contributions to entertainment and activism. She accepted the Career Achievement Award with her signature blend of sharp wit and heartfelt truth that has defined her decades-long career. 

As she took the stage, Sykes riffed through the night’s list of honorees in what felt like an impromptu stand-up set, congratulating each recipient with hilarious asides and off-the-cuff commentary that had the room roaring. But between the laughs, she delivered a pointed and powerful message about the urgent need to protect the transgender community, particularly trans youth, in the face of rising legislative attacks.

“We’re dealing with parents trying to save their kids’ lives,” Sykes said. “And now they’re faced with governments telling doctors they can’t help. That’s wrong. That’s our fight.”

“I believe in love. I believe in what our community stands for,” she added. “So we have to love harder, be louder, and protect each other.”

In a surprise appearance, comedian Leslie Jones lit up the room while presenting the Reality TV Award to the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17, delivering a tribute that was equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply personal.

“I’m six feet tall, I’m loud, I got a big ass mouth, a big ass opinion. And I don’t know if I thought that I was so attractive,” she said. “This whole community has embraced me and made me like who I am. And I want to tell you … thank you for saving my life.” Jones ended with a powerful call to action: “If we’re not showing up for drag queens, for queer people, then what the fuck are we doing?”

Yellowjackets star Liv Hewson received the Rising Star Award with a thoughtful message about representation, refusing to be boxed into gendered categories. “I’m non-binary, and I no longer submit myself to awards that split categories by men and women,” Hewson said. “This industry is a team sport — and so is life. Wherever we go, we’re not going alone.”

Recognized for his standout role in Severance, Tramell Tillman delivered a moving acceptance that underscored the emotional impact of representation.

“As a kid growing up in PG County, Maryland, I was looking for you when I didn’t have the strength to stand on my own, to say my truth, and even tell anybody that I wanted to be an actor, ” he told the crowd. “I never thought that I would be in a room full of people that reflect that mirror, that shimmer like me.”

He added, “It’s one thing to be seen, but another to be heard. I hope young boys, girls, and those beyond the binary will be empowered … because I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

For her role in Marvel’s Agatha All Along, Sasheer Zamata was honored with the Breakthrough Performance Award and reflected on how portraying a powerful witch mirrored her own personal transformation. “It’s funny — I was playing a witch regaining her power while I was on my own journey of self-discovery,” she shared. “I came out publicly last year, baby. And they were right, it really does get better.”

That spirit of humor as both resistance and survival echoed in fellow Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang, who accepted the Comedy Award with trademark wit and insight. “While I’m very honored to be receiving this, I do think a Comedy Award is the closest thing that queer people have to a participation trophy,” he quipped. “I’ve never met a non-funny queer person.”

Yang spoke about the emotional mechanics of comedy within queer communities: “We learn to be funny because it’s the way we relate to each other. It’s how we cope with a world that can be inhospitable.”

Michael Urie brought the theme of hard-won visibility into sharp focus during his acceptance of the Trailblazer Award for his work in Shrinking. Urie reflected on his legacy role as Marc St. James in Ugly Betty, one of the earliest openly gay characters on network television, and the tension of living authentically in an industry that didn’t fully accept queerness at the time.

“When I came out, I walked a trail that had already been laid by people like Christine Jorgensen, James Baldwin, Harvey Milk, Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Fierstein,” Urie noted. “I will take the label of Trailblazer — but let’s be clear, the trail was there. I just cleared some brush along the way, more like a flamethrower.”

He recalled the strangeness of a time when gay characters were allowed on screen, but gay actors were discouraged from living openly. “I was told to stop taking gay roles. One was okay, but anymore would be too much. Well, I didn’t take that advice.”

Comedian Benito Skinner, who received the Rising Star Award for Prime Video’s Overcompensating, reflected on the early spark that set him on his creative path long before he fully believed in himself.

“I remember when I was in preschool, I did a Mary Catherine Gallagher impression. It was so fucking good,” he joked. “I wore an absolutely hideous wig and my sister’s Catholic school skirt — that’s also fabulous. Even through this really bad drag, my godmother, Herman, would tell me over and over, ‘You have to perform one day. You’re a star.’”

Skinner credited his journey to people like her, those who saw something in him long before he did. “They’re the reason I’m standing here today.”

Megan Stalter, who was recognized with a Breakthrough Performance Award for her scene-stealing work in Hacks, brought her signature absurdist charm to the stage while donning a crown and sash. “I’m accepting this award for ‘best gay actor of all time,’” she joked before offering a sincere plea: “You can be Christian and gay. Being different is beautiful.”

Nathan Lee Graham, honored with the Vanguard Award for Mid-Century Modern, brought elegance and fire to the stage, declaring, “We are soldiers of love. Our weapons are joy, wit, and tenacity. Let’s keep it cute, and let’s keep it moving.”

Additional honorees included Gideon Glick, who received the Supporting Performance Award in a Comedy Series, and Roadside Attractions co-founders Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff, who were honored with the Industry Leadership Award for their commitment to inclusive storytelling. The team behind Netflix’s Will & Harper won the Documentary Award for their poignant and deeply personal trans-centered road film, while the cast of HBO’s Somebody Somewhere earned the Ensemble Award for their grounded and moving portrayal of community and connection.