Complete list of The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York Marriott Marquis

Good Morning America’s Sam Champion, Josh Elliott and Lara Spencer hosted as GLAAD honored journalist, author and talk show host Anderson Cooper and the best in television, film and journalism last night at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York.  Madonna, Bernadette Peters, Dan Stevens, Russell Simmons, Milla Jovovich, Jake Shears, Chris Kluwe and Brendon Ayanbadejo were among the special guests.

New York, Saturday, March 16, 2013 - GLAAD Media Award recipients were announced in 16 of this year’s 33 media categories at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo, and locally by Delta Air Lines, at the New York Marriott Marquis on Saturday night.  Additional award recipients will be announced in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott, and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco – Union Square.

At the ceremony, Madonna presented the Vito Russo Award to her longtime friend, Anderson Cooper.  The Vito Russo Award is presented to openly LGBT media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community.

Madonna wore a Cub Scout uniform and expressed her support for GLAAD’s year-long campaign to end the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay scouts and scout leaders, saying “I think they should change their stupid rules, don’t you?”

Anderson Cooper accepted the Vito Russo Award from Madonna, saying “I’ve had so many blessings in my life, and being gay is certainly one of the greatest blessings.  It has allowed me to love and to be loved and to help open my head and my heart in ways I could never have predicted. The ability to love one another, the ability to love another person is, in my opinion, one of God’s greatest gifts, and I thank God every day for enabling me to give and share love with the people in my life – my family, and my friends, and my partner Benjamin.  Thank you very much, and thank you for being here.”

Also at the event, hip hop mogul Russell Simmons presented the Ally Award to director Brett Ratner, in advance of GLAAD’s premiere of a public service announcement (PSA) campaign helmed by Ratner.  The GLAAD “Coming Out for Equality” PSA series features a diverse group of straight celebrities and athletes “coming out of the closet” as supporters of equality and calling for other Americans to speak out.

Accepting the award, Ratner said, “In my life I’ve spent a lot of time searching deep into my heart for what my true values and beliefs are, and I know that I have love in my heart for everyone.  But it doesn’t count for much if a word has been said by me that helps to perpetuate and validate the people out there that are truly bigoted and hateful.  After some examination I have taken some steps that I hope will stamp out thoughtless bigotry.  Together, with a number of my friends, we made some PSAs with the hope of changing people’s behavior and helping them become allies for all equality. It’s been truly rewarding and I’m grateful and humbled to receive this honor from GLAAD.”

After a speech calling for greater efforts to end discrimination against transgender people, GLAAD President Herndon Graddick was joined onstage by 12-year-old transgender girl Jazz and her family, and by 6-year-old transgender girl Coy Mathis and her family.  Graddick urged everyone to visit www.glaad.org/coymathis to sign a petition calling on Coy’s school to treat transgender students equally.

Director David France accepted the award for Outstanding Documentary for his film How to Survive a Plague.  He was joined by ACT UP co-founder Peter Staley, who appeared in the film.  Executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron were joined by cast members Bernadette Peters, Christian Borle, Andy Mientus, Wesley Taylor, and Krysta Rodriguez as they picked up the statuette on behalf of Smash,which received the award for Outstanding Drama Series.  Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge (aka The Fabulous Beekman Boys) accepted the award for The Amazing Race in the Outstanding Reality Program category.

Good Morning America‘s Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott, and Sam Champion hosted the event.  Guests enjoyed performances by the Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears and by the Vogue Evolution dance crew.  Other guests and presenters at the event included:  Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey); Bernadette Peters, Christian Borle, Andy Mientus, Wesley Taylor, Krysta Rodriguez, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron (Smash); music producer Russell Simmons; Milla Jovovich (The Three Musketeers); John Leguizamo (Kick-Ass 2); NFL players Chris Kluwe & Brendon Ayanbadejo; Annie Clark, Cristine Prosperi (Degrassi); Laverne Cox,Susan Seidelman (Musical Chairs); David France, Peter Staley (How to Survive a Plague); Nigel Barker(The Face); authors Augusten Burroughs, Andrew Sullivan, David Mixner, Andrew Solomon, Helen Boyd and Jennifer Boylan; Brent Ridge, Josh Kilmer-Purcell (The Amazing Race); Melissa Harris-Perry,Thomas Roberts (MSNBC); Avan Jogia (Twisted); Mo Rocca (My Grandmother’s Ravioli); Joan Koplan,Dennis Croft (Small Town Security); Carmen Carrera (RuPaul’s Drag Race); “Mama June” Shannon (Here Comes Honey Boo Boo); Nicole ”Snookie” Polizzi, Jennifer ”JWoww” Farley, Vinny Guadagnino (The Jersey Shore); Anthony Carinno, John Colaneri (Kitchen Cousins); radio host Elvis Duran; GLAAD National Spokesperson Wilson Cruz and GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

Now in its third year in New York, the Young Adults at the GLAAD Media Awards program allowed over 200 youth and young adults from the greater New York area to attend the event for free.  Support from corporate partners Major League Baseball and Bridgestone Americas allowed GLAAD to make this program possible.  Students affiliated with Bucknell University, the AIDS Center of Queens County, New York University and the Hetrick-Martin Institute enjoyed the show, as well as a pre-reception advocacy fair and a private after-party.

Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Awards presented on stage:

• Vito Russo Award:  Anderson Cooper  (presented by Madonna)
• Outstanding Drama Series:  Smash (NBC)
• Outstanding Documentary:  How to Survive a Plague (Sundance Selects)
• Outstanding Reality Program:  The Amazing Race (CBS)
• Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine:  “Being Transgender in America”Melissa Harris-Perry (MSNBC)
• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment:  “Obama Endorses Marriage Equality” Good Morning America (ABC)

GLAAD also presented the Ally Award to film director Brett Ratner and premiered a public service announcement (PSA) campaign helmed by Ratner.  The GLAAD “Coming Out for Equality” PSA series features a diverse group of straight celebrities and athletes “coming out of the closet” as supporters of equality and calling for other Americans to speak out.

The following is a list of other award recipients announced at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York.

• Outstanding Newspaper Article:  “Game Changer” by Andy Mannix (City Pages [Minneapolis, Minn.])
• Outstanding Newspaper Columnist:  Frank Bruni (The New York Times)
• Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage:  The Boston Globe
• Outstanding Magazine Article:  “School of Hate” by Sabrina Rubin Erdely (Rolling Stone)
• Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage:  The Advocate/Out
• Outstanding New York Theatre: Broadway & Off Broadway:  The Whaleby Samuel D. Hunter
• Outstanding New York Theatre: Off-Off Broadway:  From White Plains written by Michael Perlman in collaboration with Fault Line Theatre

SPANISH-LANGUAGE

• Outstanding Talk Show Interview:  “Entrevista con Orlando Cruz” Titulares Telemundo (Telemundo)
• Outstanding Magazine Article:  “Amor genuino“ by Cristina Saralegui (People en Español)
• Outstanding Digital Journalism Article:  “Operación tolerancia: la lucha contra la homofobia en los medios hispanos” by Lilia Luciano (voces.huffingtonpost.com)
• Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia:  “2013: Año clave para la comunidad gay” by Ramón Frisneda (ElDiarioNY.com)

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. GLAAD Media Award nominees were published, released or broadcast between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012.

More information about the upcoming GLAAD Media Awards events in Los Angeles and San Francisco may be found at http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards.  To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

About GLAAD:  GLAAD amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, visit www.glaad.org.

To view event photos visit GLAAD Facebook

Source: GLAAD

Madonna to present Anderson Cooper with Vito Russo Award at 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City

NEW YORK, NY, March 2, 2013 - GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today announced that Madonna will present journalist, author and talk show host Anderson Cooper with the Vito Russo Award at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the New York ceremony on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriot Marquis, presented locally by Delta Air Lines. The GLAAD Media Awards are presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo.

Cooper and Madonna are longtime friends who have both used their careers to raise support for LGBT people around the globe.

For tickets, table purchases and additional information about the GLAAD Media Awards visit http://glaad.org/mediaawards.

“Madonna has been a passionate spokesperson and long time supporter of gay rights. She has embraced  LGBT people around the world on many occasions,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “From speaking out against bullying to raising support for marriage equality, Madonna has always been one of our community’s strongest allies. We are honored to have her stand with GLAAD and Anderson Cooper.”

The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality. The Award is named for Vito Russo, a founder of GLAAD and celebrated activist with ACT UP, who chronicled the early images of LGBT people in film and in his book The Celluloid Closet.  Previous Vito Russo honorees include Ricky Martin, Rosie O’Donnell, Alan Cumming, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Elton John, k.d. lang, Brian Graden, and Tom Ford.

“By sharing his own experiences as a gay man, Anderson has reminded millions of Americans that LGBT people are part of their everyday lives and an integral part of our cultural fabric,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “He continues to raise the bar and set a new standard for journalists everywhere, and I’m proud to call him a friend.”

The anchors of Good Morning America, Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Sam Champion are hosting the evening. Special guests include NFL players Brendon Ayanbadejo and Chris Kluwe, director Brett Ratner, Ellen Barkin, MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry and Thomas Roberts, and John Leguizamo.  Additional honorees and guests for the New York event will be announced.

For more than 20 years, Anderson Cooper has been an instrumental figure in American journalism.  Enticing audiences with his compassionate and fearless coverage, Cooper has won multiple awards for his work, including several Emmy Awards, National Headliner Awards, and Peabody Awards.  In 2010, Haiti awarded Cooper the National Order of Honour and Merit, the highest honor the country offers, for his coverage of the earthquake that devastated that country.

In addition to reporting for CNN on Anderson Cooper 360°, Cooper is also a contributor to CBS’ 60 Minutes, where he has interviewed cultural icons and newsmakers.  In 2011, he became the host of his own nationally syndicated talk show, Anderson Live.  Dispatches from the Edge, Cooper’s memoirs about covering the South Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and other news events, topped The New York Times Bestsellers List and other bestseller charts.

Never one to shy away from tough topics, Cooper has tackled multiple issues relevant to the LGBT community, including bullying of LGBT youth, families supporting their transgender children, the dangers of so-called “ex-gay conversion therapy,” and soldiers forced to serve under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

For his coverage of issues relevant to the LGBT community, Anderson Cooper has received eight GLAAD Media Award nominations, and has been awarded the trophy three times.

Nominees for the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here:http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. They also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community that build support for equality.  Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 advocates and allies to raise critical funds for the organization’s work.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott; and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco – Union Square.  Additional Special Honorees for each city will be announced in coming weeks.

The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are executive produced by Marc Honaker, Director of Creative Development at GLAAD, and by Josh Wood, founder and president of Josh Wood Productions.  “I am very proud that my company is producing the GLAAD Media Awards this year alongside such great collaborators.  I have always been a fan of the organization and the important work GLAAD is doing to make the world a better place for the LGBT community.  The fight is not over in the United States, or globally, and I admire GLAAD for inspiring and changing opinions through media,” said Wood.

Emmy Award winning production designer James Connelly will design this year’s set across the three cities. Acclaimed producer and editor Brett Henrichsen will also contribute to this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org

Anderson Cooper to receive Vito Russo Award at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York set for March 16, 2013

Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott, and Sam Champion to host New York event.

New York, Thursday, February 21, 2013 - GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced it will honor journalist, author, and talk show host Anderson Cooper at the 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo.

For more information visit http://glaad.org/mediaawards.

Cooper will receive the Vito Russo Award at the New York ceremony on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis, presented locally by Delta Air Lines.  The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.  Previous Vito Russo honorees include Ricky Martin, Rosie O’Donnell, Alan Cumming, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Elton John, k.d. lang, Brian Graden, and Tom Ford.

“By sharing his own experiences as a gay man, Anderson has reminded millions of Americans that LGBT people are part of their everyday lives and an integral part of our cultural fabric,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “He continues to raise the bar and set a new standard for journalists everywhere, and I’m proud to call him a friend.”

The anchors of Good Morning America, Lara Spencer, Josh Elliott and Sam Champion are hosting the evening. Additional honorees and guests for the New York event will be announced.

For more than 20 years, Anderson Cooper has been an instrumental figure in American journalism.  Enticing audiences with his compassionate and fearless coverage, Cooper has won multiple awards for his work, including several Emmy Awards, National Headliner Awards, and Peabody Awards.  In 2010, Haiti awarded Cooper the National Order of Honour and Merit, the highest honor the country offers, for his coverage of the earthquake that devastated that country.

In addition to reporting for CNN on Anderson Cooper 360°, Cooper is also a contributor to CBS’ 60 Minutes, where he has interviewed cultural icons and newsmakers.  In 2011, he became the host of his own nationally syndicated talk show, Anderson Live.  Dispatches from the Edge, Cooper’s memoirs about covering the South Asia tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and other news events, topped The New York Times Bestsellers List and other bestseller charts.

Never one to shy away from tough topics, Cooper has tackled multiple issues relevant to the LGBT community, including bullying of LGBT youth, families supporting their transgender children, the dangers of so-called “ex-gay conversion therapy,” and soldiers forced to serve under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

For his coverage of issues relevant to the LGBT community, Anderson Cooper has received seven GLAAD Media Award nominations, and has been awarded the trophy three times.


Nominees for the 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here:http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.  The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. They also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community that build support for equality. Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 advocates and allies to raise critical funds for the organization’s work.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott; and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco – Union Square.  Additional Special Honorees for each city will be announced in coming weeks.

The 24^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are executive produced by Marc Honaker, Director of Creative Development at GLAAD, and by Josh Wood, founder and president of Josh Wood Productions.  ”I am very proud that my company is producing the GLAAD Media Awards this year alongside such great collaborators.  I have always been a fan of the organization and the important work GLAAD is doing to make the world a better place for the LGBT community.  The fight is not over in the United States, or globally, and I admire GLAAD for inspiring and changing opinions through media,” said Wood.  Emmy Award-winning production set designer James Connelly and acclaimed producer and editor Brett Henrichsen will also contribute to this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag#glaadawards.

More than 100 corporate partners are showing their support, including National Presenting partners Ketel One Vodka and Wells Fargo, New York and Los Angeles Presenting partner Delta Air Lines, and San Francisco Presenting partner Southwest Airlines.  GLAAD is also grateful to the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Platinum Underwriter corporate partner Anheuser-Busch, Inc., and NBCUniversal, as well as Underwriter corporate partners: Allstate Insurance Company, Caesars Foundation, Disney-ABC Television Group/ESPN, New York Marriott Marquis & Renaissance Hotel, and PwC.  For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner, purchase tickets and place a tribute in the tribute book, please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.

About GLAAD: GLAAD amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)

GLAAD Announces Nominees for 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

Frank Ocean, Adam Lambert, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, ParaNorman, Cloud Atlas, Keep the Lights On, The New Normal, Smash, Modern Family, How to Survive a Plague,
The Amazing Race, Seventeen, Rolling Stone, Ebony.com, Towleroad, Caso Cerrado,
People en Español among nominees.
Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 16, 2013 – GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, announced today the nominees for its 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. By recognizing and honoring media for outstanding images of the LGBT community, the GLAAD Media Awards serve as a benchmark for the media industry and complement GLAAD’s work to bring LGBT images and stories to Americans.

For a full list of nominees visit http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.

Among the nominees: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Ezra Miller, Logan Lerman and Emma Watson; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, starring Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson; Cloud Atlas, starring Ben Whishaw and James D’Arcy; NBC’s new hit shows The New Normal and Smash; Glee, Modern Family; the documentary How to Survive a Plague; The Amazing Race with the Fabulous Beekman Boys; an interview with Bishop Gene Robinson on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; Oprah’s hour-long visit with Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka; CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360; MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry;and Frank Ocean for his Channel Orange album. The list also includes GLAAD’s first nomination for a PG-rated animated film, ParaNorman, which also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film.

Spanish-language nominees include Titulares Telemundo for their interview with openly gay boxer Orlando Cruz, news programs Primer Impacto and Encuentro, and People en Español.

“Images and stories from the LGBT community continue to push support for equality to historic levels,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “This year’s nominees enlighten and entertain, but also reflect a new American landscape where a growing majority accept and value their LGBT family, colleagues and friends. Now more than ever, viewers not only accept gay and transgender characters and plot lines, they expect them – just as they both accept and expect LGBT people to be a valuable part of their everyday lives.”

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 16, 2013 at the New York Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 20 at the JW Marriott; and in San Francisco on May 11 at the Hilton San Francisco – Union Square. Special Honorees for each city will be announced in coming weeks.

GLAAD announced 120 nominees in 25 English-language categories, and 33 Spanish-language nominees in 8 categories. In the English-language categories, cable networks earned 21 nominations, while broadcast networks garnered 17 nominations.

A complete list of GLAAD Media Awards nominees may be found here. Additional facts and figures about this year’s 153 nominees may be found here.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community and issues that build support for equality.

The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards nominees were published, released or broadcast between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. Over 85 volunteers serving on seven nominating juries considered nearly 1,000 media projects for nomination. Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 supporters to raise nearly $3.5 million for the organization’s work.

More than 100 corporate partners are showing their support, including National Presenting partners Ketel One Vodka and Wells Fargo, New York and Los Angeles Presenting partner Delta Air Lines, and San Francisco Presenting partner Southwest Airlines. GLAAD is also grateful to the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Platinum Underwriter corporate partner Anheuser-Busch, Inc. as well as Underwriter corporate partners: Allstate Insurance Company, Caesars Foundation, Disney-ABC Television Group/ESPN, New York Marriott Marquis & Renaissance Hotel, and PwC. For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner, purchase tickets and place a tribute in the tribute book, please visit here.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Source and graphic credit to: GLAAD

All major professional sports leagues to ‘go purple’ for Spirit Day with GLAAD in a historic show of support for LGBT youth on October 19

MLB, MLS Cares, NBA, WNBA, NFL, NASCAR Diversity, NHL, USA Track & Field, WWE join millions to speak out against bullying
Ricky Martin, Country music icon Reba McEntire, Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley, Country Music Television (CMT), CNBC, MTV, VH1, Logo, BET, NBCUniversal, Paris Hilton, ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ Sign, New York Stock Exchange, Hosts of Good Morning America, The Talk, Days of Our Lives cast, Dianna Agron, Chaz Bono, Fran Drescher, Joel McHale, Sir Ian McKellen, Maria Menounos, Bernadette Peters and more pledge to wear purple in stand against bullying.

NEW YORK, NY, October 18, 2012 - In an unprecedented show of support, GLAAD today announced that the six most prominent American major sports leagues – The National Basketball Association (NBA) / Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS) and NASCAR’s diversity program – will all ‘go purple’ for Spirit Day on Friday, October 19, in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. The six leagues will send messages on Spirit Day to bullied LGBT youth via Twitter and Facebook. The leagues join athletes like Shaquille O’Neal and Terrell Owens who have already pledged to ‘go purple,’ and sports organizations, including the GLAAD Amplifier Award-winning “You Can Play” project, GLAAD partner Athlete Ally, GO! Athletes, and UK Rugby champion Ben Cohen’s StandUp Foundation. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), like the NBA, will be taking part in Spirit Day for the second consecutive year. USA Track & Field will also participate by providing support through social media.

For a full list of participants, an anti-bullying resource kit for students and parents as well as Spirit Day digital apps visit glaad.org/spiritday and follow #SpiritDay

“From sports leagues to faith institutions to national monuments, schools and celebrities, millions of Americans will unite this week in an extraordinary show of support for LGBT youth and in a stand against bullying,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “At a time when 8 out of 10 LGBT youth report being harassed at school, it’s now more important than ever that we let every young person know that it’s okay to be who you are.”

Country music icon Reba McEntire and Country Music Television (CMT) will join MTV, VH1, Logo and BET, as well as Latin music icon Ricky Martin, pop sensation Fun., 80s pop icon Cyndi Lauper, Grammy Award-winning R&B recording artist Brandy Norwood, teen music star Aaron Carter, country music star Chely Wright, Broadway legend Bernadette Peters and EGOT Rita Moreno in ‘going purple’ for Spirit Day on October 19. More than one hundred celebrity participants are listed below or here: www.glaad.org/spiritday/entertainment

Viacom’s brands will be participating on-air, online, through social media and employee engagement efforts. MTV, VH1, Logo, TV Land and TeenNick will turn on-air logos purple on Spirit Day; MTV, VH1 and Logo will turn online logos purple as well and support through social media, VH1.com, LogoTV.com and NewNowNext.com, which will be posting feature stories and never-before-seen “It Gets Better” clips. MTV will turn its 44 ? high-definition screen in Times Square purple for the day. The cast of TeenNick’s ‘Degrassi’ and ‘Victorious’ star Avan Jogia will be wearing purple and Viacom, BET, CMT and Paramount Pictures will also support the day through social media. MTV stars, including ‘Jersey Shore’ cast members DJ Pauly D, Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley, Sammi Giancola and Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi will also participate.

Comcast and NBCUniversal will participate including NBC owned stations, Telemundo network and owned stations. Hosts of “Access Hollywood,” CNBC, “Chelsea Lately,” and E! News, among others, will wear purple.

The Sundance Channel will also participate by turning its on-air and web logos purple for Spirit Day on October 19. Additionally, the network will go purple on its social media pages and share photos of Sundance staff in their Spirit Day purple.

The ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign’ will be turned purple and several hotels on the Las Vegas strip will light their marquees purple with an anti-bullying message, GLAAD previously announced with R&R Partners Foundation. In addition, the Duke Energy Tower in Charlotte, NC will join the New York Stock Exchange, Thomson Reuters’ Times Square screen, the LAX Pylon Lights and JFK traffic tower in lighting up purple for Spirit Day on October 19.

Hosts of ‘Good Morning America’ will wear purple on the October 19 show. ‘Watch What Happens Live’ host Andy Cohen will also wear purple for Spirit Day on the October 18 program. Hosts of “Access Hollywood,” CNBC, “Chelsea Lately,” “E! News,” “Extra,” “The Talk,” “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” and “The Wendy Williams Show” will also wear purple on the air for Spirit Day. Host of ‘Extra,’ Maria Menounos, will join previously announced celebrity participants including Dianna Agron, Perez Hilton, Avan Jogia, Shay Mitchell, Shaquille O’Neal, George Takei and Wendy Williams as a Spirit Day Ambassador.

American Apparel, the vertically integrated clothing manufacturer based in downtown Los Angeles, launched a Spirit Day store featuring the company’s purple clothing items. Spirit Day supporters will receive a special 10% discount on the purple items by using the promo code ‘SPIRIT’ at check out. American Apparel will also donate 10% of all ‘purple proceeds’ to GLAAD.

Each year GLAAD coordinates hundreds of national and local organizations, schools, celebrities, media, sports leagues, corporations, parishes, faith groups and landmarks. GLAAD is also working with gay teen Katy Butler who is calling for President Obama and Governor Romney to wear purple on Friday. Her Change.org petition has garnered thousands of signatures: glaad.org/purple2012. Earlier this year, Katy launched a Change.org petition to call on the MPAA to change the rating of the documentary BULLY.

Additionally, celebrities including Chad Allen, Juliette Angelo, Louis Van Amstel, Bryan Batt, Kristin Bauer van Straten,  Chaz Bono, Brandy, Bailey Buntain, Keenan Cahill, Kristin Cavallari, ‘Quan T. Chanteur, Crystal Chappell, Preston Charles, Christian Chavez, Derek Chavez, Margaret Cho, Mario Cimarro, Andy Cohen, Ron Corning, Andres Cuervo, Bianca and Chiara D’Ambrosio, the cast of Days of Our Lives, the cast of Degrassi, Heather Doerksen, Fran Drescher, Elvis Duran, Carmen Electra, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Craig Ferguson, Ray Ford, Fun., Stephen Fry, Rose Garcia, Teresa Giudice, Tony Goldwyn, Greer Grammer, Renee Graziano,  Kathy Griffin, Melanie Griffith, Damien Haas,  Randy Harrison, Paris Hilton, Perez Hilton, Lisa Hochstein, Cheyenne Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Peter Marc Jacobson, Avan Jogia, Kaya Jones, Tamala Jones, Jarod Joseph, Keahu Kahuaui, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Jennifer Knapp, C.J. Koegel, Kara Laricks, Laura Leon, Bubba Lewis, Judith Light, Mario Lopez, Katie Lowes, Jessica Lu, Lilia Luciano, Desi Lydic, Sean Maher, Marlee Matlin, Edith Marquez, Katlin Mastandrea, Lucia Mendez, Dean McDermott, Reba McEntire, Joel McHale, Sir Ian McKellan, Maria Menounous, Paula Meronek, Windell Middlebrooks, Andy Mientus, Justin Mikita, Cesar Milan, Dannii Minogue,  Alicia Minshew, D.W. Moffett, Rita Moreno, Sarah Mitchell,  Shay Mitchell, Sonja Morgan, Jessica Morris, Mary Murphy, Brandon Nelson, Matt Nordgren, Tyler Oakley, Shaquille O’Neal, JD Ordonez, Terrell Owens, AJ Pagan, Ian Patrick, Marysol Patton, Zack Pearlman, Bernadette Peters, Melissa Peterman, Pauly D, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Joey Pollari, Marisa del Portillo, Stephanie Pratt, Cierra Ramirez, Emilie de Ravin, Jasmine Reynaud, Jillian Rose Reed, Shonda Rhimes, Ashley Rickards, Brent Ridge, RoBA, Chef Jason Roberts, Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Sara Rue, Thomas Sadoski, SallyAnn Salsano, Erin Sanders, Helenna Santos-Levy, Kenny Santucci, Robb Schreiber, Diego Schoening, Benji Schwimmer, Ryan Serhant, William Shatner, Lindsey Shaw, Christina Sicoli, Gail Simmons, Freddie Smith, Evan Starkman, KaDee Strickland, George Takei, Molly Tarlov, Lea Thompson, Shannon Tweed-Simmons, Kirsten Vangsness, Vanessa Villela, Michelle Visage, Bruce Vilanch, Kathy Wakile, Stephen Wallem, Kerry Washington, Trey Weatherholtz, Jill and Nikki Weiss-Goldstein, Wendy Williams, Henry Winkler, Marissa Winokur and Kyra Zagorsky will also participate by going purple on October 19.  For a full list please visit: www.glaad.org/spiritday/entertainment

Celebrity participants and Spirit Day Ambassadors are also encouraging fans and supporters to donate to GLAAD, GLSEN and The Trevor Project by texting ‘PURPLE’ to 80888 to make a $5 contribution. AT&T is the exclusive underwriter of the Spirit Day Text Purple campaign.

In addition to the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands Corporation, Treasure Island, The Tropicana Las Vegas and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will also turn their resort marquees purple along the Las Vegas Strip 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. and then again 10 p.m. 10:15 p.m. The Fremont Street Experience will also go purple for Spirit Day at 10 p.m. and again at 11 p.m., lighting its famed Viva Vision canopy, which consists of more than 12 million LED lights and spans four city blocks. Organized by The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center), a meet-up for teens and young adults will take place that evening at the Fremont Street Experience. Marquee Nightclub, located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, will host a Spirit Day after-party with special celebrity host NHL star Sean Avery.

Other Las Vegas-area participants include Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA); Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN); Golden Rainbow; Hilton Garden Inn; Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce; Las Vegas Pride; Nevada State Senator David Parks; QVegas; and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

GLAAD and Toyota Financial Services last week announced the release of the “Go Purple for #SpiritDay powered by Toyota Financial Services” apps for iPhone and Android. The app provides users with anti-bullying resources, calls to action, and a tool that can turn photos purple and share to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The free app is now available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. To download, visit: glaad.org/spiritday/app

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second largest school district with more than 640,000 students in over 900 schools, will participate by sharing information about Spirit Day with students on its website and through its social media channels.

Corporations including AMC Entertainment, American Airlines, American Apparel, AT&T, atelier-lb, Caesars Foundation, Carat, Citi, Comcast, CreagerCole Communications, Delta Air Lines, Draftfcb, Digitas, Ernst & Young LLP, Facebook, Hewlett-Packard Company, Hyatt, Johnnye’s East Texas Soul, LBNY, Leo Burnett Business, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Marquee Las Vegas, MediaVest, MetLife, MSL New York, Mobli, NBCUniversal, Nielsen, Omnicom Group, PepsiCo, Publicis Groupe, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, PwC, Saatchi & Saatchi, Seventeen Magazine, Southern California Edison, StumbleUpon, Thomson Reuters, Toyota Financial Services, tumblr, Viacom, Warner Bros., Wells Fargo, Yahoo! and Zenith Optimedia will also participate in Spirit Day. Participating companies will distribute information to employees about wearing purple and/or turn their logo purple on October 19.

Local and national groups and organizations including All Out; The Alliance for GLBTQ Youth; American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Athlete Ally; Bienestar; bklyn boihood; Broadway Impact; The Brown Boi Project; Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization; the BULLY Project; Campus Pride; CenterLink; Circle of Voices; Courage Campaign; Empire State Pride Agenda; Equality California; Equality Florida; Equality Illinois; Equality Maryland; Equality Matters; Equality Michigan; the Equality Network; Equality North Carolina; Equality Ohio; Equality Texas; Equality Utah; Fair Wisconsin; FALGBT; Familia es Familia; Fierce; Forty to None Project; Forum for Equality; Freedom to Marry; FriendFactor; Forum for Equality; Garden State Equality; Georgia Equality; Gay Asian and Pacific Islander Men of New York (GAPIMNY); Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD); the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN); Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD); Give a Damn Campaign; GMHC; GSA Network; Hetrick-Martin Institute; Hispanic Black Gay Coalition (HBGC); Human Rights Campaign (HRC); Immigration Equality; Indiana Equality; It Gets Better Project; Latino Equality Alliance; Latino GLBT History; LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent; Log Cabin Republicans; the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Mass Equality; Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC); MOVILH; National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC); the National Bullying Prevention Center by PACER; the National Council of La Raza (NCLR); National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR); National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE); National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP); the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC); One Colorado; One Iowa; OutFront Minnesota; Out & Equal; OutServe; Palm Beach County Human Rights Council; Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Point Foundation; promo; Progress Florida; Reaching Out MBA; Safe Schools of South Florida; SAGE; Save Dade; Sean’s Last Wish;  Service Members Legal Defense Network (SLDN); Straight But Not Narrow; Sun Serve; Sylvia Rivera Law Project; The Task Force; Tennessee Equality Project; Transgender Law Center; Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF); Trans People of Color Coalition (TPCC);Tennessee Equality Project; Trans Ohio; Trans People of Color Coalition; Trans Youth Support Network (TYSN); The Trevor Project; True Colors Fund; Truth Wins Out; The Village Family Services; We Are Family; WikiQueer; and Youth Empowered to Act (YETA) will all participate by wearing purple on October 19, turning their social media channels purple, and encouraging members to participate.

Additional media partners include 495 Productions, The Advocate, AutoStraddle.com, Boy Culture, Diversity News Magazine, Edge Media Network, Frontiers in L.A. Magazine, Gay.com, Gay.net, Here TV, HIV Plus Magazine, HollyScoop.com, HollywoodLife.com, HuffPost Gay Voices, Hulu, Instinct Magazine, JoeMyGod.com, MicahJesse.com, Mombian.com, Next Magazine, OUT, OUT Traveler, Queerty.com, RumorFix.com, Seventeen, The Seattle Lesbian, SheWired.com, Think Progress and The Washington Blade.

This year, more than 50 faith organizations, congregations and synagogues are going purple for Spirit Day. Notable faith leaders like Bishop Gene Robinson, Christian music artist Jennifer Knapp, and YouTube theologian, Matthew Vines have all encouraged their followers to go purple for Spirit Day. Faith-based organizations include the United Church of Christ, the Unitarian Universalist Association, Metropolitan Community Churches, Believe Out Loud, Sojourners, Muslims for Progressive Values, Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Dignity USA, Fortunate Families, the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Holy Angels Catholic Community, Archdiocese of Los Angeles Ministry with Lesbian and Gay Catholics, Catholic Association for Lesbian and Gay Ministry, Catholic Association of Students for Equality, New Ways Ministry, Keshet, the Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Nehirim: GLBT Jewish Culture and Spirituality, Star of Davida, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, Beth Chayim Chadashim, He’bro, The Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, Eden Theological Seminary Common Grounds, Auburn Seminary, Affirmation United Methodists, Reconciling Ministries Network, Druid Hills United Methodist Church, Travis Park United Methodist Church, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry, Pacific School of Religion, Coalition of Welcoming Congregations in the Bay Area, Covenant Network of Presbyterians, More Light Presbyterians, Presbyterian Welcome, Religious Institute: Faithful Voices on Sexuality and Religion, Human Rights Campaign Religion & Faith Program, ReconcilingWorks, St. James Lutheran Church, Journey Fellowship, BJUnity, Canyonwalker Connections, Groundswell, Inside, Owldolatrous, The Evangelical Network, The Marin Foundation, The Naming Project, and LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent. Congregations and faith organizations are encouraged to visit the faith page of the Spirit Day web site (www.glaad.org/spiritday/faith) to participate in Spirit Day.

In 2010, teenager Brittany McMillan called on her friends to wear purple as a way to memorialize those who lost their lives to bullying. With GLAAD’s help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, organizations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks. Spirit Day coincides with GLSEN’s Ally Week, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month.

“Showing support for your friends, family and teachers can make all the difference in the world to young LGBT people, whether they are going through a tough time or not,” said 17-year-old McMillan. “This year, Spirit Day is going to be bigger and better than ever, and I’m so thrilled to be going purple alongside some of my favorite celebrities, as well as millions of others in a united stand against bullying.” For more information visit glaad.org/spiritday

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)

Editor’s Note: Diversity News Magazine, Diversity News Publications and Steven Escobar are proud to be media partners with GLAAD for Spirit Day! (wear purple on Friday, October 19th) http://www.glaad.org/spiritday/media

NBA, WNBA, Major League Soccer, New York Stock Exchange, Los Angeles Unified School District, Facebook join millions to go purple for Spirit Day, 10/19

Spirit Day apps for iPhone and Android mobilize users against bullying, sponsored by Toyota Financial Services. Perez Hilton, Avan Jogia, Shay Mitchell, Shaquille O’Neal, George Takei, Wendy Williams among hundreds of celebrities taking part in anti-bullying effort.
NEW YORK, NY, October 2, 2012 - The National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Women’s Basketball Association (WNBA), Major League Soccer (MLS), the New York Stock Exchange, Times Square and Facebook will join hundreds of celebrities, corporations, news outlets and schools, as well as millions of Americans in wearing purple for Spirit Day on October 19 in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, GLAAD announced today.

Supporters are encouraged to take the Spirit Day pledge at glaad.org/spiritday

The NBA, WNBA and MLS will participate through their social media channels. The iconic New York Stock Exchange will light up in purple for Spirit Day, and the Thomson Reuters screen in Times Square will turn purple throughout the day on October 19. Facebook will go purple on select national pages and circulate information about Spirit Day to its employees globally.

GLAAD and Toyota Financial Services today also launched the “Go Purple for #SpiritDay powered by Toyota Financial Services” apps for iPhone and Android. The apps provide users with anti-bullying resources, calls to action, and a tool that can turn photos purple and share to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The free apps are now available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. To download, visit: glaad.org/spiritday/app

“Everyone at Toyota Financial Services, and across the Toyota family, is proud and excited to be a part of this year’s Spirit Day,” said Ann Bybee, Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Communications & Community Relations. “Going purple for the day is a small but powerful way we can all show our support for those who have been bullied or who fear being bullied. It is so important to raise awareness that bullying isn’t acceptable. At Toyota, we have always embraced a guiding principle of ‘respect for people,’ which has made us the company we are today. And it is a principle that includes not only our employees and customers, but everyone, without exception.”

GLAAD also launched the ‘19 Days of Action,’ a countdown to Spirit Day that provides supporters with one simple action they can take daily to combat bullying. More information and a list of actions is available atglaad.org/spiritday or on the “Go Purple for #SpiritDay powered by Toyota Financial Services” apps for iPhone and Adroid.

Previously announced participants include TV icon George Takei, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, star of ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars Shay Mitchell, daytime talk show host of The Wendy Williams Show, Wendy Williams, and Nickelodeon’s Avan Jogia, who will join LGBT advocates Jordan Addison, Shane Bitney Crone, Brittany McMillan, Tiq Milan, Janet Mock, Jennifer Tyrrell, and Zach Wahls as Spirit Day Ambassadors.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second largest school district with more than 640,000 students in over 900 schools, will participate by sharing information about Spirit Day with students on its website and through its social media channels. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will also participate through social media.

Corporations including AMC Entertainment, AT&T, atelier-lb, Caesars Foundation, Carat, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Draftfcb, Digitas, Facebook, Hewlett-Packard Company, Johnnye’s East Texas Soul, LBNY, Leo Burnett Business, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Marquee Las Vegas, MediaVest, Omnicom Group, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, Publicis Groupe, Saatchi & Saatchi, Southern California Edison, Toyota Financial Services, Warner Bros., Yahoo! and Zenith Optimedia will also participate in Spirit Day. Participating companies will distribute information to employees about wearing purple and/or turn their logo purple on October 19.

Other participating national landmarks include the LAX Pylon Lights and the JFK traffic tower, both of which will turn purple on October 19.

Local and national groups and organizations including the BULLY Project; Campus Pride; CenterLink; Equality Texas; Fair Wisconsin; FriendFactor; Forum for Equality; the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN); GSA Network; Human Rights Campaign (HRC); the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); the National Bullying Prevention Center by PACER; the National Council of La Raza (NCLR); the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC); Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Reaching Out MBA; Straight But Not Narrow; The Trevor Project; and Youth Empowered to Act (YETA) will all participate by wearing purple on October 19, turning their social media channels purple, and encouraging members to participate.

In 2010, teenager Brittany McMillan called on her friends to wear purple as a way to memorialize those who lost their lives to bullying. With GLAAD’s help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, organizations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks. Spirit Day coincides with GLSEN’s Ally Week, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month.

“Showing support for your friends, family and teachers can make all the difference in the world to young LGBT people, whether they are going through a tough time or not,” said 17-year-old McMillan. “This year, Spirit Day is going to be bigger and better than ever, and I’m so thrilled to be going purple alongside some of my favorite celebrities, as well as millions of others in a united stand against bullying.”

“By going purple for Spirit Day, millions of Americans are helping to send a clear message that no one should be bullied simply because of who they are,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

Among those who participated in 2011: hosts of the Today Show, Good Morning America, Live! With Regis & Kelly, The View, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, and ABC World News; celebrities including Tyra Banks, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Ricky Martin, Julianne Moore, and Oprah Winfrey; corporations like AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Facebook, MTV, and NBCUniversal; and national landmarks including Times Square, LAX, and the White House.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Editor’s Note: Diversity News Magazine, Diversity News Publications and Steven Escobar are proud to be media partners with GLAAD for Spirit Day! (wear purple on Friday, October 19th) http://www.glaad.org/spiritday/media

Millions Of Americans To Wear Purple On Spirit Day In A Stand Against Bullying On October 19, 2012

Perez Hilton, Avan Jogia, Shay Mitchell, Shaquille O’Neal, George Takei, Wendy Williams join LGBT advocates Jordan Addison, Shane Bitney Crone, Brittany McMillan, Tiq Milan, Janet Mock, Jennifer Tyrrell and Zach Wahls in a national call to action.
AMC Entertainment, AT&T, CNBC, Caesars Foundation, Carat, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Draftfcb, Facebook, Hewlett-Packard Company, The McGraw-Hill Companies, National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Omnicom Group, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, Publicis Groupe, Toyota Financial Services, Warner Bros., and Yahoo! to ‘go purple’ on 10/19.

NEW YORK, NY - Wednesday, September 19, 2012 , Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, Nickelodeon’s Avan Jogia, Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, TV icon George Takei, and daytime talk show host of The Wendy Williams Show, Wendy Williams, will join GLAAD, hundreds of corporations, national landmarks, schools, local communities and millions of Americans in wearing purple for Spirit Day on October 19, 2012 in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, it was announced today.

Supporters are encouraged to take the Spirit Day Pledge at glaad.org/spiritday

College student Jordan Addison, who recently shared his experience with anti-gay bullying on The Ellen DeGeneres Show; Shane Bitney Crone, whose web video about the tragic death of his partner has garnered millions of views; anti-bullying advocate Brittany McMillan; advocate and writer Tiq Milan; transgender advocate, author of Fish Food: A Memoir and former People.com editor Janet Mock; Ohio mom Jennifer Tyrrell, who was ousted as leader of her son’s Boy Scouts troop because she’s gay; and Scouts for Equality founder and author of My Two Moms, Zach Wahls will participate alongside Hilton, Jogia, Mitchell, O’Neal, Takei and Williams as Spirit Day Ambassadors.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the nation’s second largest school district with more than 640,000 students in over 900 schools, will participate by sharing information about Spirit Day with students on its website and through its social media channels. The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) will also participate through social media.

Corporations including AMC Entertainment, AT&T, CNBC, Caesars Foundation, Carat, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Draftfcb, Facebook, Hewlett-Packard Company, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Omnicom Group, Publicis Kaplan Thaler, Publicis Groupe, Toyota Financial Services, Warner Bros., and Yahoo! will also participate in Spirit Day. Participating companies will distribute information to employees about wearing purple and/or turn their logo purple on October 19.

Participating national landmarks include the LAX Pylon Lights and the JFK traffic tower, both of which will turn purple on October 19.

Local and national groups and organizations including the BULLY Project; Campus Pride; FriendFactor; the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN); GSA Network; the National Bullying Prevention Center by PACER; Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Reaching Out MBA; Straight But Not Narrow; The Trevor Project; and Youth Empowered to Act (YETA) will all participate by wearing purple on October 19, turning their social media channels purple, and encouraging members to participate.

For a complete list of celebrity participants, media outlets, TV networks, organizations and corporations visit glaad.org/spiritday. Additional participants to be announced.

In 2010, teenager Brittany McMillan called on her friends to wear purple as a way to memorialize those who lost their lives to bullying. With GLAAD’s help, Spirit Day has since garnered widespread support from celebrities, TV news and entertainment programs, corporations, organizations, schools, local communities, and even national landmarks. Spirit Day coincides with GLSEN’s Ally Week, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month.

“Showing support for your friends, family and teachers can make all the difference in the world to young LGBT people, whether they are going through a tough time or not,” said 17-year-old McMillan. “This year, Spirit Day is going to be bigger and better than ever, and I’m so thrilled to be going purple alongside some of my favorite celebrities, as well as millions of others in a united stand against bullying.”

“By going purple for Spirit Day, millions of Americans are helping to send a clear message that no one should be bullied simply because of who they are,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

Among those who participated in 2011: hosts of the Today Show, Good Morning America, Live! With Regis & Kelly, The View, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, and ABC World News; celebrities including Tyra Banks, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Ricky Martin, Julianne Moore, and Oprah Winfrey; corporations like AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Facebook, MTV, and NBCUniversal; and national landmarks including Times Square, LAX, and the White House.

What is Spirit Day?
Millions of Americans wear purple on Spirit Day as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. Spirit Day was started in 2010 as a response to the young people who had taken their own lives. Observed annually, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals and celebrities wear purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag. Getting involved is easy — participants are asked to simply “go purple” on October 19th as we work to create a world in which LGBT teens are celebrated and accepted for who they are. Learn more & go purple at www.glaad.org/spiritday.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAADon Facebook and Twitter.

Editor’s Note: Diversity News Magazine, Diversity News Publications and Steven Escobar are proud to be media partners with GLAAD for Spirit Day! (wear purple on Friday, October 19th) http://www.glaad.org/spiritday/media

Facebook becomes first social media company to receive GLAAD Media Award in San Francisco on June 2

On Thursday, May 31, 2012 GLAAD, the nation’s lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced that Facebook will receive a Special Recognition Award at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

In March, GLAAD announced that Facebook would be receiving a Special Recognition Award for the company’s strong stand and leadership around bullying prevention as well as its inclusive options for LGBT users.  After violent anti-gay images and comments were posted on a memorial page for LGBT youth, Facebook worked with GLAAD to monitor the highly visible page and launched, in conjunction with several LGBT organizations, the Network of Support.

Facebook’s Andrew Noyes and Sara Sperling, who will accept the award on behalf of Facebook, were instrumental in the creation of the Network of Support, which serves in a consultative capacity to help the company effectively address issues faced by the LGBT community.  Through the Network of Support, Facebook partners with GLAAD; MTV; the Human Rights Campaign (HRC); the Trevor Project; the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN); and Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

High school student Brittany McMillan will present the award. McMillan launched the idea for Spirit Day in 2010 and began working with GLAAD on the annual event which inspires millions of participants to wear purple or change their Facebook photo to purple in support of LGBT youth and to stand up against bullying. Facebook was among the companies that participated last year.


Facebook’s leadership on anti-bullying initiatives was also recognized with an invitation to participate in the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention.  There, the company announced it was seeking feedback from teenagers on bullying prevention, aired a special “Facebook Live” broadcast, and unveiled new tools that allow abuse reports to be handled more efficiently.

Other industry-leading steps Facebook has taken include:

• In September, Facebook launched the Stop Bullying: Speak Up campaign with Time-Warner, which empowers students, educators and parents to help prevent bullying. That campaign launched across Latin America this week.
• GLAAD and the Network of Support worked with Facebook to give users the options to select “In a Civil Union” and “In a Domestic Partnership,” recognizing the relationships of countless loving and committed same-sex couples.
• Additionally, Facebook was among corporate leaders that participated in Spirit Day with GLAAD by encouraging employees to turn Facebook photos purple and wear the color on October 20 as a sign of support for LGBT youth.
• Facebook also added Help Center content that provides specific guidance on how users can help an LGBT person who has posted suicidal material and introduced special reporting procedures for LGBT youth in cooperation with the Trevor Project and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

“Facebook has set the bar high for ensuring LGBT people have a safe space to connect with friends and family,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “GLAAD is pleased to present this award to Facebook in recognition of its efforts to make their platform welcoming to everyone.”


GLAAD previously announced that Glee’s Dianna Agron will host the event in San Francisco on June 2 at the Marriott Marquis, and that Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal) will receive the Golden Gate Award, and Wells Fargo will receive the Corporate Leader Award at the ceremony.

Guests will enjoy a performance by Beverly McClellan, a finalist on season one of The Voice, as well as Mystère by Cirque du Soleil.  Other special guests include: Rita Moreno (Happily Divorced); Adam Pally (Happy Endings); Sean Maher (Much Ado About Nothing); Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, Ian Harding (Pretty Little Liars); Guillermo Diaz, Katie Lowes (Scandal); Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff (fun.); Chandler Massey and Freddie Smith (Days of Our Lives); Jordon Todosey, Annie Clark, Linda Schuyler (Degrassi); Mario Lopez (Extra); MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts; People.com editor Janet Mock; author and advocate Zach Wahls; comedians Fortune Feimster and Chris Franjola; and GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.  More names to be announced.

Nominees for the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here:http://glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.  The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT and the issues that affect their lives.

The New York GLAAD Media Awards event was held on March 24 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, and the Los Angeles event was held April 21 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites.  A complete list of award recipients announced at the New York and Los Angeles events may be found athttp://glaad.org/mediaawards.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org

Source: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
Photo credit: Facebook & GLAAD

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Facebook management and staff for this special recognition.

Betty White, Chaz Bono, Josh Hutcherson Attend the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards Red carpet arrivals in LA

Legendary TV Personality and Actress Betty White, Ellen DeGeneres, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Joshua Jackson, Kim Wayans, Sara Gilbert and Jason Mraz joined the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) as it honored advocate and author Chaz Bono, actor Josh Hutcherson and the best in television and film last night at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles held on Saturday, April 21, 2012 from 4:30 pm at Westin Bonaventure located at 404 S. Figueroa Street in Los Angeles, CA 90071.

Cher and Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) presented the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to Chaz Bono, and Benicio Del Toro presented the Vanguard Award to Josh Hutcherson.

Also at the event, Jennifer Tyrrell, a mother from Ohio who was ousted last week as a scout leader from the Boy Scouts of America, spoke onstage with her partner, Alicia, and their four children.  Celebrities and special guests signed Tyrrell’s Change.org petition calling on the Boy Scouts of America to end its ban on LGBT scouts and scout leaders. In only five days, the petition has received over 110,000 signatures.

Cher surprised her son, Chaz Bono, by joining Bono’s stepmother, Rep. Mary Bono Mack, in presenting him with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award.  The Stephen F. Kolzak Award is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality.

In her remarks, Cher praised her son, “I’m here because Chaz has the most courage of almost anyone I know.  The other day I was having a big meltdown (like you do) and Chaz said, ‘Are you going to come to the [GLAAD event],’ and I went ‘Chaz, you know, I’m not doing well right now’ and…he texted me and said ‘I turned into a very understanding, smart man and you can call on me.’  And it made me feel so good, like I could lean on someone.  It touched my heart.”  Addressing Bono directly, Cher said, “You are the most courageous person I know and you really deserve this award, so come up and get this award!”

In his acceptance speech, Bono discussed the role GLAAD has played in his life.  “This truly means so much to me, because not only did I work at GLAAD, I think I learned everything that I value and that I do now as an activist from the time I spent at GLAAD.  I learned here to use the greatest activist tool that we have at our disposal, and that is the media.”  Bono continued, “For my personal journey since I transitioned, GLAAD has been there for me every step of the way.  From when it first came out that I was transitioning, GLAAD was right there, out front in the media.  And really everything that I’ve done since then, they have been a partner for me to be able to go to when Million Moms is coming out against me or Keith Ablow is telling people that me being on Dancing with the Stars is somehow going to be damaging to children.  They have really been a partner for me all the way.”

Also at the event, actor and director Benicio del Toro presented the Vanguard Award to actor Josh Hutcherson.  Del Toro directed Hutcherson in the short film 7 Days in Havana.  The Vanguard Award is presented to media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Accepting his award, Hutcherson thanked his friends from the Straight But Not Narrow campaign with which Hutcherson is actively involved, “I want to thank my best friends Avan Jogia, Andre Pochon and Heather Wilk for starting Straight but not Narrow.  It’s an amazing organization.  We wanted to create a place where straight people felt safe coming out and saying ‘It’s okay to be gay.’  And I didn’t know one, so we decided we were going to make one and we have.  It’s gaining momentum and it means the world to me.”  Hutcherson continued, “I want to thank GLAAD and everybody tonight who shared their story with us, and really showed us that the work that we’re doing makes a difference.  That’s why I’m up here.  I’ll make hopefully a million more movies but this is what I want to do with my life, just changing the world and hopefully changing what people think.  So, this is to everybody who’s ever had a struggle in life being yourself.  I think that the most beautiful thing a human being can do is just be who you are inside.  So please, everybody, just be yourselves and encourage everyone else to do the same.  Thank you.”

Tim and Tracy Rodemeyer, along with their daughter Alyssa, spoke onstage to the over 400 young adults in attendance, in memory of their 14-year-old son Jamey who died by suicide in the fall of 2011 after posting an It Gets Better video on YouTube.

Other special guests include: Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland); Ellen DeGeneres (The Ellen DeGeneres Show); Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family); Max Adler, Grant Gustin (Glee); Joshua Jackson (Fringe); Mark Deklin, Miriam Shor (GCB); Sara Gilbert (The Talk) and musician Linda Perry; Kim Wayans (Pariah); Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries); singer Jason Mraz;Molly Shannon (Casa de mi Padre); Trevor Donovan (90210); LGBT advocate and writer Perez Hilton;Brooke Elliott, Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva); Gilles Marini (Switched at Birth); Guillermo Diaz (Scandal);Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter (Resident Evil); Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills); Marissa Jaret Winokur (Retired at 35); Tabatha Coffey (Tabatha Takes Over); Laura San Giacomo (Saving Grace); Travis Wall (So You Think You Can Dance); Peter Marc Jacobson (Happily Divorced); writer LZ Granderson; Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato (Becoming Chaz, Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys); Freddie Smith (Days of Our Lives); Michelle Paradise, Angela Featherstone (Exes & Ohs); Lady Bunny, Raven (RuPaul’s Drag U); Reza Farahan (Shahs of Sunset); Jamie Clayton (Hung);Madison Hildebrand (Million Dollar Listing); Washington State Rep. Maureen Walsh; decorated Air Force veteran Lt. Col Victor Fehrenbach; and GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.

Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Saturday in Los Angeles.

• Stephen F. Kolzak Award:  Chaz Bono (presented by Cher and Rep. Mary Bono Mack)
• Vanguard Award:  Josh Hutcherson (presented by Benicio Del Toro)
• Outstanding Film – Wide Release:  Beginners (Focus Features)
• Outstanding Documentary:  Becoming Chaz (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network) [accepted by: directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, and Chaz Bono]
• Outstanding Comedy Series:  Modern Family (ABC) [accepted by: Jesse Tyler Ferguson]
• Outstanding Individual Episode:  TIE: “Prom” Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime) [accepted by: producer Josh Berman and Brooke Elliott] and “Beards” Hot in Cleveland (TV Land) [accepted by: Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, Betty White and episode guest stars Gilles Marini and Laura San Giacomo]

This year, over 500 youth from Southern California were able to attend the event at no cost through GLAAD’s Young Adults @ the GLAAD Media Awards initiative.

Additional awards were presented in New York on March 24, and the final awards will be presented in San Francisco on June 2 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.  Glee‘s Dianna Agron will host the June event, and it will feature a special performance by Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère.  A complete list of award recipients announced at the New York event may be found here: www.glaad.org/mediaawards/recipients

About The GLAAD Media Awards:
The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives.  The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.

About GLAAD:
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit http://glaad.org or connect with GLAAD athttp://glaad.org/connect.

Sources: BWR Public Relations & GLAAD.
Videos credit to: http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards
Photos credit to: Rodrigo Vaz for Diversity News Magazine and Diversity News Publications. For photos licensing contact: Steven Escobar at editor@diversitynewsmagazine.com or editor@diversitynewspublications.com (C) 2012 Rodrigo Vaz and Diversity News Publications. All Rights Are Reserved.

Editor’s Note: Even thought we only received media credentials to cover the red carpet arrivals, we still providing you some information courtesy of GLAAD and BWR Public Relations of what happen during Dinner and Show.

Josh Hutcherson to receive the Vanguard Award at 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards Presented by Ketel One & Wells Fargo

Grammy Award-winning musician Jason Mraz to perform; Chaz Bono to receive Stephen F. Kolzak Award; Ellen DeGeneres, Betty White, Wendie Malick, Joshua Jackson, and Kim Wayans among special guests.

On Monday, April 16, 2012 The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, announced it will honor LGBT equality advocate and actor Josh Hutcherson at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo. Hutcherson will receive the Vanguard Award at the Los Angeles ceremony on April 21, 2012 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, presented locally by Delta Air Lines. As previously announced, advocate, author and speaker Chaz Bono will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award.

GLAAD also announced that Jason Mraz, longtime LGBT advocate and Grammy Award winner, will perform at the ceremony.  Mraz recently filmed a PSA for the Human Rights Campaign’s “Americans for Marriage Equality” initiative.

A live stream of the red carpet is available at http://glaad.org/live. Please visit http://glaad.org/mediaawards for a full list of nominees.

GLAAD Media Awards will be presented onstage in the following categories: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Documentary Outstanding Film- Wide Release, and Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character).

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, GLAAD’s Board of Directors elected media veteran Herndon Graddick as GLAAD’s new President. He will speak at the GLAAD Media Awards. Herndon is a media veteran who has worked as a Supervising Producer at E! Networks, the day-of-air news division director at Current TV, and a producer at CNN. He currently serves as GLAAD’s Vice President of Programs & Communications. For more information visit http://glaad.org/meetherndon.

Ellen DeGeneres will open the event on April 21.  Other special guests include:  Betty White, Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland); Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family); Joshua Jackson (Fringe); Mark Deklin, Miriam Shor (GCB); Tori Spelling (Tori & Dean: Home SweetHollywood); Kim Wayans (Pariah); Molly Shannon (Casa de mi Padre); LGBT advocate and writer Perez Hilton; singer and Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham; Trevor Donovan (90210); Brooke Elliott, Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva); Gilles Marini (Switched at Birth); Fran Drescher (Happily Divorced); Guillermo Diaz (Scandal); Kelly Osbourne (So Undercover); Milla Jovovich (Faces in the Crowd); Ali Larter (The Asset); Travis Wall (All the Right Moves); Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato (Becoming Chaz); Mike Mills (Beginners); and decorated Air Force veteran Lt. Col Victor Fehrenbach.  Additional guests for the April 21 Los Angeles event to be announced.

Josh Hutcherson will receive the Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Nineteen-year-old actor and advocate Josh Hutcherson leads the next generation in the movement for LGBT equality.  In 2010, Hutcherson starred as the son of a lesbian couple in the critically acclaimed film The Kids Are All Right, which received a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film Wide Release, two Golden Globe Awards, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.  Hutcherson currently stars as Peeta Mellark in the blockbuster film The Hunger Games. Hutcherson is one of the founders of the LGBT ally organization Straight But Not Narrow (SBNN), and has remained outspoken about why equality for LGBT people is important.


In an interview withSamaritanMag.com, Hutcherson said, “We just launched [SBNN], and it’s a very exciting time for us and it hits close to home for me. I have a lot of gay friends in Los Angeles. My roommate’s gay and I lost two uncles when I was young to AIDS, so it’s an important cause in my family.” Earlier this year, Hutcherson and fellow SBNN co-founder, actor Avan Jogia, met with Gay-Straight Alliance leaders at the GSA Network to film a video discussing the importance of GSA clubs in schools.  In March, Hutcherson made a surprise appearance at a high school in Los Angeles where he spoke to GSA members about about the importance of being an ally for LGBT young people. “Emerging as a leader in a new generation of equality advocates, Josh Hutcherson has consistently used his platform to help young people understand that no one should face discrimination simply because of who they are,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “Josh’s commitment to achieving equality for every American is a message he carries in his work both on screen and off, earning him the honor of being GLAAD’s youngest-ever Vanguard Award recipient.”

Nominees for the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here: http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles on April 21, 2012 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites; and in San Francisco on June 2 at San Francisco Marriott Marquis. Glee’s Dianna Agron will host the show in San Francisco, with a special performance by Cirque du Soleil’sMystère. Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal) will receive the Golden Gate Award.

Facebook and Wells Fargo will receive special awards at the event. To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards. The GLAAD Media Awards fund GLAAD’s work to bring stories of LGBT people and issues to Americans. Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 advocates and allies to raise nearly $3.5 million for the organization’s work.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD at www.glaad.org/connect.

Source:  www.glaad.org
Photo credit to:  Wikipedia
Graphic logo credit to: www.glaad.org

Editor’s Note: Congratulations to Josh Hutcherson for his award recognition.  Also Diversity News Magazine & Diversity News TV representatives Daniela Hubbard, Rodrigo Vaz and Esteban Escobar aka Steven Escobar have been approved by GLAAD &      BWR Public Relations and they will be covering the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on April 21, 2012.

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