Colton Haynes first appeared on our screens as Roy Harper on the CW superhero drama ‘Arrow’, since then he’s gone on the star in ‘The Grinder’, ‘Teen Wolf’ and the eagerly awaited second season of ‘Scream Queens’. Not only has Colton made a name for himself on screen but he’s also a proud supporter of the LGBTQ community, after recently coming out to the public. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly he said, ‘I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and healthier than I’ve ever been, and that’s what I care about.’
Colton has inspired countless people across the world to just be their authentic selves, be open, break down barriers, and be accepted by family, friends and communities across the globe. Tomorrow (27th August) sees the 17th Annual HRC Seattle Gala, which raises crucial awareness and funds for LGBTQ equality.
I'm accepting a beautiful award this wknd & I'm extremely emotional about it. I hope I can make it through the speech. No promises haha
— Colton Haynes (@ColtonLHaynes) August 26, 2016
This year Colton will be honoured with the HRC Visibility Award for helping raise vital awareness for a community and making people feel safe, no matter what sexual orientation they are. On June 12th 2016, Florida saw the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman, which took the lives of 49 people and injured 53 inside an LGBTQ nightclub. Colton also took part in the 18-minute tribute below, which also features another 48 actors recounting individual stories of the people killed on that dreadful night.
Let’s pray that by openly speaking about our lifestyle choices, and breaking down those stigmatised thoughts we can all move towards a more accepting world.
For more information about this year’s HRC Seattle Gala, please click here.