Jade Thirlwall made a cheeky quip after she was crowned Celebrity Ally Of The Year at British LGBT Awards at The Brewery in London on Friday evening.
The Angel Of My Dreams hitmaker, 32, known professionally as JADE, is an outspoken supporter for the LGBTQ+ community, and earlier this month during a performance led thousands of fans in an anti-JK Rowling chant.
Jade, who couldn’t be present and accepted the gong via video link, told her gay fans how much she ‘adored’ them, before cheekily thanking those who bought jockstraps from her merchandise collection.
The singer raised eyebrows when she announced the range last year that also included a butt plug on a keychain and silicon-based lubricant.
She said: ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you, so so much for this award. It really does mean everything to me. I just want to say that from the bottom of my heart, I really do adore the LGBTQ+ community’.
‘I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be where I am now were it not for that community supporting me, and making me the best artist I can be, and the best ally that I can be’.
Jade Thirlwall, 32, made a cheeky quip after she was crowned Celebrity Ally Of The Year at British LGBT Awards in London on Friday evening
The singer, who accepted the gong via video link, told her gay fans how much she ‘adored’ them, before cheekily thanking those who bought jockstraps from her merchandise collection.
Jade told gay fans how much she ‘adorned’ them, before cheekily thanking those who bought jockstraps (pictured) from her merchandise collection
Before quipping: ‘And I would personally like to thank my gay fans especially for making my jock strap my best-selling merchandise piece – thank you so, so much’.
Jade continued: ‘But in all seriousness, I want you to know that my allyship is not transactional. It has always been incredibly important to me, for many years now, to be the best ally I can be, and show up for the community time and time again’.
‘And I do feel like at this time more than ever, it really is crucial for allies to speak up, stand up and show support for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the trans community’.
Before adding: ‘I’m really sorry that I can’t be there tonight, I’m genuinely gutted. But I just want to say congratulations to all of the winners tonight and you have my oath, for eternity, that I will constantly strive to be the ally that you deserve’.
Jade is far from the first celebrity with a large LGBTQ+ following to release risqué merch.
Following her 2020 dance-pop album Chromatica, Lady Gaga released a hot-pink jockstrap while Cambridge-born singer Charli XCX previously sold a sex paddle alongside a branded douche. For her latest album Brat, she sold a key on a necklace.
When asked about the X-rated merch, that coincided with the release of her fourth single Fantasy, Jade told Vogue: ‘I’m collaborating with a friend of mine, Samuel Douek, on a kind of Fantasy bundle package with some of his products and some of mine. It’s fun getting to do stuff like that.’
Douek is a filmmaker as well as the owner of CBD-based lubricant brand Howl – a product which features in Jade’s collection.
The singer raised eyebrows when she announced the range last year that also included a butt plug on a keychain and silicon-based lubricant
Jade is far from the first celebrity with a large LGBTQ+ following to release risqué merch (pictured) as she follows in the footsteps of Lady Gaga and Charli XCX
The Angel Of My Dreams hitmaker is an outspoken supporter for the LGBTQ+ community, and earlier this month led thousands of fans in an anti-JK Rowling chant (pictured)
She continued: ‘Obviously, in Little Mix, there was kind of a ceiling on how far we could push things with our demographic and fan base.
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‘So I’m excited for my own stuff to have that same element of fun and empowerment, but in my own way as a 31-year-old woman.’
As well as the X-rated bundle, fans can buy a series of coloured bandanas – which are typically used as a visual shorthand for the LGBTQ+ community to discreetly signal sexual preference.
Earlier this month the former Little Mix star was performing at Mighty Hoopla in London when she sang one of her new songs FUFN (F*** You For Now) – using it to take aim at the Harry Potter author.
‘Transphobes,’ JADE shouted, as the crowd replied: ‘F*** you’. She then turned attention to the writer, yelling ‘JK Rowling’ to which the crowd chanted again: ‘F*** you’.
A festival-goer shared the clip online with the caption: ‘Jade, the legend you are!!!’
The former Little Mix star was performing at Mighty Hoopla in London (pictured) when she sang one of her songs FUFN (F*** You For Now) – using it to take aim at the Harry Potter author
A festival-goer shared the clip online with the caption: ‘Jade, the legend you are!!!’
JK has denied being transphobic, but she previously said she would ‘happily’ go to jail for misgendering a trans person rather than referring to them by their preferred pronouns (Seen celebrating Supreme Court ruling last month)
JK has denied being transphobic, but she previously said she would ‘happily’ go to jail for misgendering a trans person rather than referring to them by their preferred pronouns.
She is also using the new Harry Potter series to fund organisations dedicated to removing trans rights , with her ‘Women’s Fund’ website saying it will offer financial support to those fighting trans inclusion ‘in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces’.
The author made her first controversial comments about trans people six years ago, and has long claimed their inclusion in spaces such as bathrooms is a threat to women.