Katy Perry bumped purses with Doechii during her 2024 MTV VMAs performance & we have to stan

On Wednesday night, Katy Perry accepted the MTV Video Music Awards' coveted Video Vanguard Award for her sixteen years of iconic hits — and she thanked the LGBTQ+ community in her acceptance speech!

The pop icon performed a 10-minute medley of her hits including "Dark Horse," "E.T.," "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "I Kissed A Girl," and an unreleased song titled "I'm His He's Mine" featuring queer rapper Doechii, where the two sensually caressed each other on stage.

After concluding the set with "Lifetimes," Perry's husband Orlando Bloom passed her her celebratory Moonperson.

“I did that all on the first day of my period, too. Can you believe it?” said Perry. “Thank you so much to MTV for believing in my weirdness from day one, and for helping artists extend their worlds beyond a song. There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no decade-long accidents.”

She thanked her label, MySpace, the Warped tour, her village of "strong people," and "all the bygone places where I found a voice, identity and a community so early on." She also thanked her family. “We don’t always agree, but what a lesson that those disagreements can still be full of love."

Perry went on to thank the LGBTQ+ community, "who I recognize I would not be here without, and who showed me that you can be both kind and c–t."

She wrapped up her speech with an acknowledgment of the new generation of pop stars.

"I’m excited when I look around music today and I see all the amazing young artists who are operating with confidence, agency, vulnerability and authenticity. I’ve heard a lot of do this, don’t do that, wear less, wear more now, hey, don’t cut your hair… one of the biggest reasons I’m standing here right now is I learned how to block out all the noise, that every single artist in this industry has to constantly fight against, especially women." Perry concluded, "I just want to say with my whole heart, do whatever it takes to stay true to yourself and true to your art, turn off social media, safeguard your mental health, pause, touch grass. And do what you were born to do, just like I was born to do this."

Her new album, 143, comes out Friday, September 20.