When Beyonce accepted the Carter surname as her own, she was wise enough to broker a 50-50 stake in all things business-related, akin to a modern-day prenup. Apart from that, there's a reason to believe Beyonce might have even forced the issue herself, as a way of distancing herself from her father's name. So, whenever she and Jay-Z step out in public, as they did last night, they introduce themselves as "The Carters," for reasons too complicated to explain.
Last night, the power couple stood together in accepting their Vanguard Award, at the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. The ceremony marked the one-year anniversary of a tribute bestowed upon Jay-Z for the song "Smile," written in collaboration with another noted Carter, his mother Gloria.
"I get to follow in her footsteps for spreading love and acceptance and her beautiful speech at the end of the song and for allowing me to tell her story," Jay-Z said during the couple's acceptance speech last night. "So I want everyone to acknowledge her tonight."
After thanking GLAAD's governing body for the special commendation, Jay-Z and Beyonce both spoke out in support of the LGBTQ community, by sharing a series of personal anecdotes of consequence. Beyonce went a step further than her husband by urging the crowd to protect all marginalized persons, including but not limited to the LGBTQ, a message backed by the numerous philanthropic endeavors she has spearheaded.