Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake Honored By LGBT Group
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake were able to squeeze in a rare date night recently when they accepted an award for their work with the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, joking about the thing that plagues new parents most: getting out with other adults.
Biel and Timberlake, who are parents to 6-month-old Silas, were honored on Friday night by the organization, which works with schools to educate young people about the LGBT community. The couple thanked GLSEN “for leading the way to make our schools more safe, welcoming and yes, inspiring places for all of our children.”
Jessica Biel added a personal note, speaking about the way being a new parent has changed the way they see the world. The actress thanked the group for protecting each and every child no matter what their identity is.
“To be new parents is to witness up close and very personal the full miracle that every individual girl and boy really is. So thank you GLSEN so much for all that you do to ensure individuality of every kid – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender – is respected, protected and treasured by our schools,” Jessica said.
Timberlake was very flirty with his wife over the course of the night, possibly because he was giddy at the prospect of having a date. According to People, the couple were very affectionate over the entire night and brought some levity to their acceptance speech for the Inspiration Award.
“And also, thank you for allowing mommy and daddy to have a rare date night out together with other adults. Honey, look around. This is what adults look like… They don’t smell like poopy diapers,” Justin Timberlake said.
Jessica Biel isn’t new to working with organizations that make it their mission to help others; earlier this year, she starred in a series of Funny Or Die videos for WomanCare Global, which educates people about sex, birth control, pregnancy, and the human body. For Biel, taking away the stigma attached to such topics is the main goal, because she’s afraid that many girls will have the same experience she did in public school when it came time to learn about reproductive health.
“We don’t want women’s reproductive health issues to be hidden under stigma or taboos anymore. And how best to reach all demographics. Can we please laugh about this crazy stuff that happens to us?” Biel said about the videos. “I remember my health class in middle school literally was the girls were separated, the boys were separated, and I think it was ‘Here’s a tampon, good luck’ kind of thing, and you just walk away from that experience feeling kind of shameful. And you feel kind of weird and like, it was kind of gross.”
Biel says that her pregnancy really brought to light how little she knew about what the body goes through during the experience, saying her education did little to prepare her.
The couple haven’t been too active on social media since the birth of little Silas, choosing instead to keep their family time private, but Justin did share a sweet snap on Father’s Day of himself holding his son.
https://instagram.com/p/4MopyBSdlK/?taken-by=justintimberlake
Timberlake’s longtime friend and former bandmate Lance Bass spoke about the changes fatherhood had brought about in him earlier this year, telling Meredith Vieira that he was a different person.
“It’s so amazing to see a friend go through this, because you know, I grew up with him, since he was 14 years old. But to see this amazing dad now, and you know, all he wants to talk about is the kid. You have to. And you know, I can’t wait to be a dad myself, just because I would like to know what that selflessness feels like,” Timberlake said.
[Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images]
