When eight-time Grammy Award–winning musician Fergie was honored at Logo’s NewNowNext Awards earlier this year, the philanthropist and trendsetter joined the likes of past recipients Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson. Upon receiving the award for her work in the fight against HIV and AIDS, Fergie, a MAC AIDS Fund spokeswoman, told us, “I’ve had so many friends that have been affected by this disease, and it is a very near and dear cause to my heart.”
Fergie, who just gave birth to her first child with husband Josh Duhamel on Aug. 29, has devoted much of her altruistic energy this year to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, even recently designing a lipstick called V.I.Pink for her Wet n Wild Centerstage Collection. She said Wet n Wild “stepped up and is giving a portion of the proceeds from the project to amfAR.”
The former Black Eyed Peas front-woman has been hosting a series of voguing balls this year to benefit amfAR's HIV research. The fund-raisers culminated with the Life Ball in Vienna in May, and Fergie, who recruited dancers for the balls herself, is hoping to turn her experience into a documentary about the heavily gay and transgender voguing culture.
The pop star already knows how she’ll approach the issue of HIV with her son, Axl, even though he's only a few days old.
Above: Fergie and her husband earlier this year
“I am going to be very honest with my child and informative,” she told HIV Plus. “I am a very open person myself about sexuality, so I am going to raise my child to have a very open mind and let my child make their own decisions.”
She also said she will give her son the information he’ll need to stay safe and healthy when he does become sexually active.
