Selena Gomez, Solange, and Mary J. Blige Are Honored at Billboard’s Women in Music Awards in Los Angeles

It has been a turbulent couple of weeks for women in the entertainment industry, so it came as little surprise that the focus at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in Los Angeles last night remained solidly on the issue of female empowerment. “We can do anything if we surround ourselves with people who not only love but respect us,” said singer Ciara, who wore a custom Vera Wang white gown to kick off the proceedings. “Tonight, I ask all of us as daughters, mothers, and sisters to rededicate ourselves to speaking up and speaking out on the issues that unite us as women. We must use our voices so that the next generation faces less sexism, less body-shaming, and let it be said loud and clear, less harassment.”