We Irish are all guilty of occasionally slagging off the U2 frontman, but in fairness, he does some great humanitarian work and for that he is being recognised by Glamour.
The magazine’s annual Women of the Year list celebrates the work of noteworthy fashionistas, sports heroes, social justice activists and business leaders.
Now Bono has become the first Man of the Year among the magazine’s Women of the Year.
Reportedly, when he heard of the news, he called wife Ali Hewson to give her the news: ‘I asked did she think I deserved it. She wasn’t sure. She said I’ve work to do!’
He continued: ‘I’m sure I don’t deserve it. But I’m grateful for this award as a chance to say the battle for gender equality can’t be won unless men lead it along with women. We’re largely responsible for the problem, so we have to be involved in the solutions.’
Melinda Gates, philanthropist and 2013 Woman of the Year, said: ‘He’s one of the most outspoken and effective advocates for women and girls I know.… As an activist, he’s using those skills to get the world talking about the fact that ending extreme poverty begins with empowering women and girls.’
Bono recently created Poverty Is Sexist through his One campaign, which specifically aimed at helping the world’s poorest women. During the 1990s, he worked hard to get antiretroviral drugs to the rural poor in South Africa, and was moved by the stories of a number of the women there.
Other Glamour honourees, set to be recognized at the November 14th ceremony in L.A., include Gwen Stefani, Zendaya, Simone Biles and Stanford rape victim Emily Doe.