In a really touching segment of a new TV special, Demi Lovato has just revealed for the first time that her grandfather was gay, saying: ‘I feel a lot of my spirit has come from him.’
As part of Trailblazers, a TV special about LGBT civil rights pioneers, which has just aired in the US, she revealed how her grandfather revealed his sexuality in a time when many people were forced to remain closeted for fear of facing judgement from their neighbours or even losing their jobs.
She explained: ‘He was brave enough to come out in the 60s, and I feel a lot of my spirit has come from him. He passed away a few years later, and I only wish he could have seen all the progress that has been made. It's such an honour to be welcomed and embraced by the LGBT community.’
The Trailblazers special will honour many people from the LGBT community, including Edie Windsor and Roberta Kaplan, who helped overturn DOMA, and Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete to compete in any of North America's four major professional sports.
The show’s also going to feature appearances from high-profile men and women such as former president Bill Clinton, Daniel Radcliffe, Adam Levine, Jared Leto, Ed Sheeran and Iggy Azalea.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.