Editor’s Note: At 21 years old, Hilary Duff is no longer a tween sensation, but she is still coming into her own. And, to that end, Duff’s making sure to take up as many good causes as possible, like her current project, the AIDS Walk. Her mother, we’re sure, is proud — and, in fact, helped shape Duff’s charitable spirit. Here the entertainer talks to wOw about AIDS Walk, ignoring backlash over her pro-gay politics, tabloid culture and how, despite her benevolent perspective, it’s fun to be bossy.

HILARY: Hi, Andrew.

wOw: Hey, Hillary. How are you today?

HILARY: I’m fine. How are you?

wOw: I’m very well, thank you. It’s finally summer in New York City.

HILARY: Oh, great! Man, I was just there and I missed it. I thought it was going to be warm and it wasn’t yet.

wOw: You’re in California?

HILARY: Yes, I am.

wOw: So it must be nice all the time?

HILARY: It is. It’s been a little gloomy lately, but I think the sun’s coming out today, so that’s good.

wOw: Good news. Great. You and I are talking primarily because you’ve agreed to be the grand marshal for the AIDS Walk. So, first and foremost, why did you personally — other than because it’s a good cause — agree to participate?

HILARY: Oh, there are a few different reasons, actually. This isn’t my first involvement – well, not with the AIDS Walk, but kind of in that world. I started working with a program called GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

wOw: Right.

HILARY: And basically what it does is try to make schools a safe haven for kids, because in this day and age even their homes aren’t safe for them. And it’s all about not discriminating and accepting people for being different. It’s not just about being gay, either. It’s also about your race, or being different in any way and trying to just stop the hating. But obviously a lot of the kids in that alliance are gay and lesbian, and I just loved it. I loved hearing some of their stories, which were just terrible. So, I got involved and did a PSA for them. Then, when I was doing the Rachael Ray show, I met this guy who was really involved with the AIDS Walk, and he’s like, “I saw that PSA you did and it was awesome and, you know, you would be perfect to host the AIDS Walk.” Of course, it’s such a big deal and so many great people have done it before and, anyway, that I can lend my name or try and raise awareness …

Watch this video of Hilary Duff’s PSA for the AIDS Walk:

wOw: I imagine a lot of your fans are fairly young, you are fairly young – 21, correct?

HILARY: Yes.

wOw: As we saw with Miss California, a lot of people got really angry with her for sharing her view that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Do you ever get backlash from people who object to your pro-gay, nonprofit work?

HILARY: I’m sure I do, and I just don’t read it. I honestly don’t care, you know? I think that one of the great things that we, as Americans, have is the privilege of getting to have an opinion. I think everyone should have equal rights. And if people don’t like me because I believe in that then – well, you can’t make everybody happy.

wOw: That’s certainly true. I want to get off-topic for just one second because you kind of broached a subject — about things being written about you. You’ve been famous for a very long time and you’ve been in tabloids. I interviewed Cloris Leachman last month. And I asked her, “What do you think about tabloids?” And she made a really good point. She said, “Well, you know, you have to remember that this is their job so you have to work with them.” Do you agree with that?