Glamour Magazine may be known for its 'Women of the Year' awards, but this year the publication took a slight detour as it celebrated Bono with its first "Man of the Year" honor. In his acceptance speech U2's frontman noted the country had much work to do in gender equality.
"There being 130 million girls that are not going to school. Here in the United States of America, women make 80 cents to a man’s dollar," Bono said. "There is nowhere on Earth where women have the same opportunities as men, and unless we address this problem, both women and men together—our world will continue down this misogynistic, violent, and impoverished path."
The musician is known for his charitable work and attention to various issues, like poverty and sexism. Bono co-founded the charity ONE, which is aimed at alleviating poverty and preventable disease, especially in Africa.
While most of Bono's speech was on gender equality, he also touched on the many terrorist-related tragedies the world has gone through this year, including hate attacks in Europe. But despite all of it, Bono delivered a message of hope.
"There is a time to be heartbroken and to break everything apart. There is a time to grieve and a time to get organized. In the words of Flo Kennedy, and most recently by Lena Dunham, ‘Don’t agonize. Organize,’" he said.
Bono ended his speech with a direct plea to President-elect Donald Trump.
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"Look across to women. Make equality a priority. It is the only way forward," he said. "The train is leaving the station. Be on it or be under it."
