Kim Petras Makes History, First Out Trans Woman To Win Grammy

Kim Petras and Sam Smith won the Grammy Award for best pop duo/group performance for their song 'Unholy'. Petras made history as the first out trans woman to win a Grammy. “Sam graciously wanted me to accept this award because I’m the first transgender woman to win this award," Petras said. [showads ad=MREC]Petras paid tribute to all the trans trailblazers before her. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight - Sophie, especially,” Petras, who received a standing ovation, said. 'I Don’t Think I Could Be Here Without Madonna' Sophie, also known as Sophie Xeon, was a trailblazing trans musician and producer, who in 2018 became the first trans woman to be nominated for a Grammy or best dance/electronic album for her debut album Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-insides. Sophie died in an accident in Greece in 2021. American musician and composer Wendy Carlos was the first trans person to win a Grammy. In 1968, Carlos won three Grammy awards for their album Switched-On Bach. Carlos publicly came out as trans a decade later in an interview in Playboy magazine in 1979. American soul and rhythm and blues singer and trans pioneer Jackie Shane was nominated for a Grammy in 2017 in the Best Historical Album category. DJ and music producer Honey Dijon was the other transgender person to be nominated for a Grammy this year. Dijon was nominated along with Beyonce in the Album of the Year category for Renaissance. The award went to Harry Styles for his album Harry's House. https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1622415730410131456 “My friend who passed away two years ago told me this would happen and always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, Sophie. I adore you, and your inspiration will forever be in my music,” said Petras. https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1622452744517832704?cxt=HHwWgMC-3ZmLjoQtAAAA Petras gave a shout-out to her mother. “I grew up next to a highway in nowhere Germany, and my mother believed me that I was a girl, and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support.” [showads ad=MREC2]Petras also thanked Madonna for “fighting for LGBTQ rights. … I don’t think I could be here without Madonna.” Later in the awards ceremony, Madonna went on to introduce Smith and Petras' performance of their chartbuster 'Unholy'. Beyonce Thanks Gay Uncle, Queer Community https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1622432674957914112?cxt=HHwWgMDT7f_6hIQtAAAA There were other queer moments during the show. Beyonce, who won the best R&B song, best dance/electronic recording, best dance/electronic album and best traditional R&B performance, and became Grammys' most-awarded artist, thanked her gay uncle and the LGBTQI community. "I'd like to thank the queer community for your love and for inventing the genre," Beyonce said while accepting her award. The other heartwarming moment was when Brandi Carlile's wife and kids introduced her performance. LGBTQI Artists Are Breaking Barriers https://twitter.com/CBS/status/1622406343767490560 Anthony Allen Ramos, Vice President of Communications and Talent, GLAAD, said that the awards for out queer artists underscored their contributions to the music industry. “By awarding queer artists from so many segments of the LGBTQ community and representing so many musical genres as Grammy winners, the Recording Academy reminded the world just how impactful LGBTQ people are when it comes to creating music," said Ramos. "From Sam Smith and Kim Petras breaking barriers for non-binary and transgender people in music by winning the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, to Brandi Carlile and Wet Leg dominating the Rock and Alternative Music categories with multiple wins, and Steve Lacy’s win for Best Progressive R&B album, the Grammy Awards were dominated by more openly LGBTQ artists and musicians than ever before,” added Ramos. [showads ad=FOOT]

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