Lara of KATSEYE Accepts Queer Award at LA LGBT Center's Golden Hour
Lara opened up about coming out, fan support, and being queer in K-pop while accepting an award at the LA LGBT Center’s annual event.
Lara of K-pop group KATSEYE was honored with the Blooming Impact Award at the LA LGBT Center’s Golden Hour event. The award recognizes her visibility and advocacy as a queer public figure, especially within the K-pop industry, where LGBTQ+ representation remains rare. Lara accepted the award alongside her bandmates Megan, Sophia, and Yoon-chae.
Lara came out publicly in March 2025, jokingly describing herself as “half fruitcake” in a post that quickly resonated with fans. Though she had come out to friends and family at 14, she admitted that sharing her identity as a global pop artist was daunting. In her acceptance speech, Lara spoke about the fear of rejection and the pressure of being in the public eye, especially as a “Brown queer girl” in a traditionally conservative industry.
Lara said fan support played a major role in helping her feel more secure in her identity after coming out - and her recognition certainly points to a slow but visible shift in how queer artists are being acknowledged across global pop scenes.