Actor Nico Tortorella smiled wide and thanked the City Council during a meeting at Los Angeles City Hall as he accepted his role as the city's first ambassador for LGBT+ Pride Month, which is June.
Tortorella, who co-stars on the TV Land show "Younger," was selected as an ambassador based on his advocacy in the LGBTQIA+ community. Friday, May 31, was also dedicated as Nico Tortorella Day in Los Angeles.
"People make assumptions about the gender of another person based on the person's appearance or their name," City Councilman Mitch O'Farrell said.
"These assumptions aren't always correct, and the act of making an assumption--even if correct--sends a potentially harmful message that people have to look a certain way to demonstrate the gender that they are or they are not."
A video clip of Tortorella speaking on "The View" was played during the presentation, showing the panelists discussing preconceptions of the LGBTQIA+ community with a group of people.
"Nico Tortorella is a Renaissance human for the modern day--an actor, author and advocate for the LGBTQIA community, breaking down stereotypes and educating in the process," O'Farrell said. "Isn't it also wonderful that we open up our minds about how people identify? It brings us all on a common ground."
Tortorella, who has written two books on gender identity, declared himself to be gender-fluid and bisexual in 2016.
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"This is utterly surreal; I am so honored, honored and grateful and proud and obviously there will not be enough words to describe this," he told the City Council on Friday. "This day is not just for me. This is for the people that I'm standing here today for... for the marginalized and the disenfranchised, for anyone who has been made to feel (different)."
On Friday night, Los Angeles City Hall was illuminated in rainbow colors in honor of the month, and LGBT pride events will be hosted throughout the city in June.
