'He Would Be Very Touched,’ Beyonce's Aunt Opens up About Singer's Emotional Tribute to Late Uncle

After Beyonce honored her late gay uncle during her acceptance speech at the GLAAD Awards, her aunt recalled how special he was to the singer and predicted he would have loved the tribute.

Beyonce Knowles paid tribute to her gay uncle when she was recently honored at the GLAAD Awards. Her aunt reveals he would have been touched by the emotional tribute.

Accepting her Vanguard award along with her husband, Jay-Z, Beyonce dedicated it to her late uncle Johnny who passed away decades ago due to HIV. The 37-year-old described him as “the most fabulous gay man I have ever met” who “lived his truth and was brave and unapologetic at a time when this country wasn’t accepting.”

The singer further admitted as she fought back tears that witnessing Johnny’s struggle with HIV was “one of the most painful experiences” in her life. “I'm hopeful that his struggle served to open pathways for other young people to live more freely,” she added.

Following her emotional speech, Beyonce’s aunt, Cynthia predicted Johnny would have loved it.

“He would be very touched by it. He was an awesome young man. He was a very kind, sweet, giving man," she told Radar Online.

Cynthia also said Johnny was an “awesome designer” who, regardless of lack of formal education would design clothes stars would wear. “He could design for kings and queens,” she proudly shared.

She also recalled he designed a ball gown for Beyonce. “It’s a beautiful pink gown,” she said. It’s now been passed on to her daughter who’s two years younger than the concert star.

Elsewhere in her GLAAD speech, Beyonce earned cheers from the crowd when she deemed LGBT rights as synonymous to human rights. She explained,

“To choose who you love is your human right. How you identify and see yourself is your human right. Who you make love to and take that ass to Red Lobster is your human right.”

Her husband, Jay-Z, whose mother Gloria Carter is openly gay also honored her that night. She was an awardee last year for her participation in the rapper’s track, “Smile.”

The GLAAD awards is an annual event that acknowledges people and media projects that celebrate the rights of the LGBT community. This year’s awardees include “Love, Simon” in the outstanding film category and “Queer Eye” for outstanding reality program, among others.