United Nations Honors Cyndi Lauper’s LGBTQ Activism

The United Nations has presented LGBTQ ally Cyndi Lauper with its first-ever High Note Global Prize.

The honor was bestowed Tuesday during Lauper's Home for the Holidaysbenefit concert, where pop star Kesha and U.N. Human Rights chief external officer Laurent Sauveur appeared to present the award, Billboardreports. Fellow LGBTQ icon Cher also recorded a video message to congratulate the singer.

The U.N. made particular note of Lauper's work through True Colors United, a nonprofit founded to combat LGBTQ homelessness.

"Cyndi has stated that 'We each have a personal responsibility to make sure LGBTQ youth are treated with dignity and respect,'" Kesha said. "And I couldn't agree more."

Cher said in her message, "No one deserves this award more than you do. And I know you, and I love you. So have a wonderful night and just bathe in the glory."

Lauper through her charity has put a priority on ensure youth within the LGBTQ community don't end up living on the streets. "We each have a personal responsibility to make sure LGBTQ youth are treated with dignity and respect," Lauper says in a statement on the True Colors United website.

At the benefit concert, which raises money for True Colors United, Lauper cited statistics from the Human Rights Campaign noting that 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ, while around 7 percent of youth in the U.S. identify as queer.

"They're only on the street because they're LGBTQ," Lauper said at the concert. "This is fixable, with programs and advocacy and safe places where they will not be turned away."

The benefit concert also included appearances from such LGBTQ stars as singer Brandi Carlile and Pose star Billy Porter.