Prodigal Sons Heads to LA after Successful NYC Run
March 17, 2010
Tonight and Thursday night will be your last chance to catch Kimberly Reed’s autobiographical documentary, Prodigal Sons, at the Cinema Village in New York City. (Click here for tickets & showtimes.) After a nice long run, accompanied by multiple Q&A events, on Friday the film heads to Los Angeles theaters.
On opening night Friday, March 19th at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5 theater, GLAAD’s Entertainment Media Manager Jonathan Rosales will introduce the 7:30 screening and lead a Q&A afterwards with Kimberly.
Reed will also host her own Q&A sessions there after the 7:20pm and 9:45pm screenings on Sat, March 20th and the 3:00pm and 5:10pm screenings on Sun, March 21st.
Prodigal Sons will also be opening in Irvine at the Edwards Westpark 8 theater on the 19th, before continuing on to open in Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, San Diego, and several other locations around the country in the following weeks.
GLAAD congratulates Kimberly Reed and the Prodigal Sons team on their successful New York run and will continue to support their efforts to increase accurate and inclusive representations of transgender people in the media.
For additional information about the film and screenings, please visit www.prodigalsonsfilm.com.
Related Posts:Report on Transgender Employment Discrimination in New York Finds Ongoing Bias
March 16, 2010
Julian Brolaski, a transgender man that was refused work at J. Crew (NY Daily News)
On Sunday, LGBT rights supporters gathered outside J Crew on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to protest the results of a recent report that found the retailer biased against openly transgender applicants. Make the Road New York, a non-profit that promotes economic justice, equity and opportunity for all New Yorkers, conducted research into the hiring practices of 24 retail stores in Manhattan by sending two otherwise evenly matched applicants into the stores, one transgender and one not. On Sunday, they released their findings in a report titled “Transgender Need Not Apply: A Report on Gender Identity Job Discrimination.”
According to the New York Daily News, one of the openly transgender applicants, Yo Smith (a 39-year-old transwoman performance artist), did not receive a single job offer from the dozens of retailers she applied to, but her non-trans counterpart received eight.
Overall, the report “found a 42 percent net rate of discrimination for transgender job applicants… [and] 49 percent of transgender workers surveyed reported that they have never been offered a job in the time that they have lived openly as transgender.”
A listing of the results by employer can be found on The Gothamist blog. Atop the list sits J Crew, where one of the transgender test applicants “was treated brusquely, told to fill out an application and was never called,” while his cisgender* testing counterpart was interviewed on the spot and offered a job soon after.
As Make the Road New York’s Irene Tung told The Gothamist, “The two separate instances of discrimination are considered by the Attorney General and also by social scientists who specialize in matched pair testing, to be especially egregious because they represent a pattern of discrimination. So it is this pattern of discrimination we are singling out at J. Crew.” The group has filed a job-discrimination complaint with the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
The San Diego Gay & Lesbian News reported that this effort has been endorsed by the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union, FIERCE, LGBT Equality Coalition of Queens, Queers for Economic Justice and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.
While New York City Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination on the basis of either sexual orientation or gender identity, openly transgender job applicants have continued to experience discrimination, as this report confirms. New York still lacks state-wide protections against discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression, although advocates are hopeful that the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) will pass through the New York Senate this year, after an early-March victory in the Assembly, where it has now passed three times.
GLAAD will continue to keep you updated on media coverage of employment discrimination against transgender people.
…
* In her book, Transgender History, Susan Stryker defines cisgender as preferred over nontransgender. The prefix cis means “on the same side as” (that is, the opposite of trans). The idea behind the term is to resist the way that “woman” or “man” can mean “nontransgender woman” or “nontransgender man” by default. “Cisgender” names the usually unstated assumption of nontransgender status contained in the words “man” and woman.”
Related Posts:New NYC Welfare Procedure Addresses Anti-Transgender Discrimination
February 17, 2010
On Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, TransJustice of the Audre Lorde Project, Housing Works, Queers for Economic Justice, and the Sylvia Rivera Law Project celebrated the recent victory of their collaborative Welfare Justice Campaign in preventing discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers applying for public services.
The Human Resources Administration of the City of New York (HRA) adopted Procedure No. P-09-22 on December 23, 2009 after a five-year campaign led by the above organizations and a number of elected city officials. The Procedure circulated among all HRA staff, titled “Serving Transgender, Transsexual and Gender Nonconforming Individuals” highlights “a few key areas where employees should pay special attention to prevent creating a discriminatory or unwelcoming environment for transgender clients,” including Titles, Names and Pronoun usage, Access to Restrooms, and Dress Code.
At Wednesday morning’s press conference Jane Corbett, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the HRA expressed that there had been some initial trepidation over how city agencies would receive the new procedure but proudly announced that “there was not one negative reaction.” The procedure will ensure that HRA staff members comply with existing New York City Human Rights Law, amended in 2002 to explicitly protect transgender and gender non-conforming people from discrimination in public accommodations and services, employment and housing, and bias-related harassment.
Discussing the importance of this procedural victory, Tracy Bumpus of Housing Works questioned, “For Trans and Gender Non-Conforming people, what is the value of freedom if we are afraid to seek the life sustaining services offered by HRA because we are discriminated against, made fun of and made to feel less than human?” Their press release cites instances when transgender people applying for government benefits have been turned away and told to return “when they dress more like a girl, or boy.”
Trans and Gender Non-Conforming community members had been fighting this sort of discrimination since 2005 when the HRA along with a Citizen Advisory Transgender Sub Committee developed the draft of a comprehensive procedure, which formed the basis for the HRA Procedure finally implemented in December of 2009. In the wake of this victory, advocates are looking to oversee HRA training methods and curricula, as the implementation phase has presented stumbling blocks for cities that have adopted such procedures in the past.
GLAAD applauds these organizations for their persistence in ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to basic resources, and we encourage local media outlets to spotlight this landmark change in public service procedures.
Related Posts:Irish Gay Man Attacked At Neighborhood Bar in Queens
December 17, 2009
Tarlach MacNiallais, an openly gay Queens, NY educator and Irish American citizen, never pegged his neighborhood bar as the place for an anti-gay beating. But that’s exactly what happened to him on December 5, when two bouncers accused MacNiallais of “dancing with another man” and proceed to severely beat him in the club.
The night began like the countless other times MacNiallais and his friends and family had visited Guadalajara De Noche restaurant, in Jackson Heights, Queens.
According to the Irish Central, MacNiallais and his partner of seven years, Juan, and Juan’s four brothers visited the restaurant expecting an open mike sing-along. When they discovered that the club night had been scheduled instead, the group decided to stay and sat in the back near the dance floor.
But when MacNiallais suggested to his partner that they dance to a song the evening changed.
Before they began to dance, a man, described as an employee of the nightclub, came over to the couple and said: “You can’t do that in here. This is not a gay bar.”
“To be quite honest I thought he was joking. I didn’t even look at him,” MacNiallais, told the Irish Central. “I turned around and said, ‘We have as much right to dance as anyone else.’”
According to MacNiallais, he was then yanked from behind, thrown against a wall and kicked and punched repeatedly on his body, including his face and chest. He was treated at a local hospital and released.
MacNiallais’ friends and family proceeded to call the police, who are currently investigating the situation.
The New York Post was the first media outlet to break the story about the incident. However, the article incorrectly stated that MacNiallais was a gay activist who intentionally went into the club to dance with an unnamed man.
MacNiallais says, “I did not just jump up and dance with a total stranger, or with the first man who walked in the bar. I was dancing with my partner of seven years.”
GLAAD has reached out to MacNiallais and local advocates to offer our support and we will keep you updated on this story.
Related Posts:Glennda Testone Named Executive Director of the New York City LGBT Center, First Woman to Fill The Post
September 16, 2009
On Tuesday the New York City LGBT Community Center announced its unanimous decision to bring Glennda Testone on as their new Executive Director.
In a statement released by The Center, the leaders of the hiring search said:
We found a dynamic leader who we believe will be at the forefront of the next generation of advocacy and services for the LGBT community. Glennda inspired all of us and we cannot wait to begin the next chapter of the Center’s history under her leadership.
Throughout her career, Testone has been a leader in the field of social justice for women and LGBT people. In an interview with EDGE, Testone said “she hopes to bring her experience as both a feminist and an LGBT activist into her new role.”
Testone said of her new appointment:
At a time when the opportunities and challenges faced by our community are limitless, the Center is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of LGBT people. I am honored and excited to lead the Center in providing the kind of thriving, nurturing community that we all want to come home to. It is an ambitious goal, but my commitment to serving the LGBT community, the passion of the people involved and the possibilities for this institution are also limitless.
Testone previously served as the Vice President for the Women’s Media Center for three years after leading the Program Division at GLAAD as our Senior Director of Media Programs for six years. Testone pioneered several changes in LGBT media activism, most notably leading the team that persuaded The New York Times to change its longstanding policy and include same sex couples on its wedding pages beginning in 2003.
The Center, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008, has grown to become the largest LGBT multi-service organization on the East Coast and second largest LGBT community center in the world. The Center’s board president Bruce Anderson, who served as interim executive director for the past eight months reflected:
As a board president and an interim executive director, I have seen the work of the Center firsthand. And I have seen the staff in action. It has been a privilege and has also offered me a unique perspective on the kind of leader the Center will need to propel its work forward,” says Anderson. “This organization needs and deserves a leader with a contemporary perspective, an inspirational vision and the management expertise necessary to bring that vision to life. We have found that in Glennda.
“The concept of working with an organization that leads people to better lives: I can’t think of anything more important,” Testone concluded in her interview with EDGE.
We at GLAAD send our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you at your new post, Glennda! Thank you for your past and future service to the LGBT community!
Related Posts:“Out to Work” Job Fair to Be Held in NYC on Sept. 17
September 11, 2009
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of New York City will host “Out to Work” – the largest LGBT job fair in the Northeast—next Thursday, September 17 at its headquarters in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. GLAAD is proud to be a community partner for the event.
Over 40 exhibitors from companies such as CBS, Johnson & Johnson, HBO, Prudential, Scholastic, and many others will attend Thursday’s fair that is expected to draw 3,000 attendees.
Registration is free and all those who register are automatically entered to win an all-inclusive trip to Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City or a 3 month gym membership courtesy of Equinox gym.
To register, visit the “Out to Work” website at www.outtowork.org. Or visit the “Out to Work” Facebook page for more information!
Related Posts:Summer GLAAD Events – Have Fun & Support Our Work With NYC Housewives, PTown “beachBums” and Top Chefs!
August 7, 2009
Worried that your fun-filled summer is coming to an end? – Think again!
Close your summer in style at one of GLAAD’s upcoming events to celebrate and benefit GLAAD’s work!
August 18, 2009
Planning to relax poolside in Provincetown during Carnival Week? Join GLAAD at the 4th Annual Provincetown “beachBums” event! Held on August 18, 2009 at The Crown & Anchor, GLAAD will treat you to a live aussieBum fashion show, entertainment from the legendary – and hilarious – Miss Richfield 1981, and GLAAD’s exclusive “SPF” (Stars Promoting Fairness) Celebrity Swimwear Auction where you can bid on swimwear signed by some of Hollywood’s biggest names including Elton John to benefit GLAAD’s culture changing work!
Presented by Absolut, the Crown & Anchor, aussieBum
Los Angeles Event: GLAAD Hancock Park – Top Chef Invasion
If you are a food fanatic, then GLAAD Hancock Park is the event for you! GLAAD invites you to join us on August 23, 2009 at the home of Tim Corrigan to enjoy a chef challenge from special guests and openly gay chefs Jamie Lauren and Richard Sweeney, stars of Bravo Television’s Top Chef. In celebration of GLAAD’s work, GLAAD will provide live entertainment from the Dangerous Muse, DJ Joe Gauthreaux, and Bailey featuring BOOM KITTY. In addition, Los Angeles area restaurants will be promoting their food specialties, and guests can participate in a food centric silent auction.
Presented by American Airlines, Barefoot Wine, Bravo Television, and Skyy Vodka
New York City Event: GLAAD Manhattan
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to meet our celebrity guests including Jill Zarin & Countess LuAnn de Lesseps (the Real Housewives of New York City), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Michael Urie (Ugly Betty), Model Ronnie Kroell, and Comedian Lisa Lampanelli!
Join us for GLAAD Manhattan’s Venice Beach themed event held on August 25, 2009, at 230 Fifth 20th Floor Roof Top Garden. Invite friends and family to enjoy a special Andrew Christian swimsuit show in addition to face painting, caricature artists, psychics, balloon artists, and a gorgeous view.
Presented by Bacardi, Delta; Event Partners: Barefoot Wine and Prudential
Man Arrested In Connection With Anti-Gay Robberies in N.Y.
July 15, 2009
Driton Nicaj, a 19-year old Manhattan man, was arrested last Friday in connection with a string of anti-gay robberies that took place on the Upper East Side in May and June. Nicaj is being held on charges of aggravated harassment and robbery as a hate crime.
According to Paul J. Browne, the NY Police Department’s chief spokesman, Nicaj confessed to being involved in at least one of the attacks during the one month span during which Nicaj and a group of men beat, robbed and yelled anti-gay slurs at multiple victims. Police are still in search of at least four other as yet unnamed suspects in connection with the crimes.
One of the assaults occurred during NYC’s Pride Week celebrations and targeted former Village Voice staffer Joseph Holladay, who was hospitalized after being beaten and left unconscious.
Local newspaper Our Town reported that another of the victims was approached by a group of four men while sitting on a park bench with a male friend. The men asked, “Are you guys gay? Gross.” and proceeded to mug the victims.
Cases of violence like this against the LGBT community underscore the need for exhaustive federal hate crime legislation like the Matthew Shepard Act to combat the pervasive problem of hate-motivated crimes. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, reports of violence against LGBT people have increased in severity across the country, reaching the highest rates in more than a decade. Seventeen percent of last year’s anti-gay murders were committed in the New York City area alone.
In a letter to the editor in The New York Times, NYC Anti-Violence Project’s Executive Director Sharon Stapel stated:
“The Matthew Shepard Act, which if passed by the Senate would expand the 1968 federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, is long overdue (editorial, May 6).
In today’s world, which is so diverse, we cannot condone violence based on actual or perceived identity. If we do, we are all vulnerable.
At the New York City Anti-Violence Project, we know that more is needed. We also must stop the violence from happening in the first place. This requires public education and training of first responders and law enforcement.
We know in New York that hate-crimes protection can be a powerful tool in prosecuting crimes, but it does not prevent them. Each year we see violence against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities increase, despite this legislation.
To prosecute these crimes is one way to vindicate the lives of those who died because of who they are, and we have an obligation to do so. But to truly eradicate violence, we have to go beyond punitive measures to preventive ones, so that we don’t lose another Matthew Shepard to this senseless violence.”
The timing of these violent crimes in relation to the 40 Year Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots is a startling reminder of the importance of inclusive hate crime legislation in securing the safety and well-being of LGBT individuals.
For more information on how to support the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, check out The Matthew Shepard Foundation.
Related Posts:Celebrating Pride in New York and Across the Country
June 30, 2009
Hundreds of thousands crowded New York City’s streets Sunday for the city’s annual LGBT Pride festivities. Sunday’s march marked an especially significant occasion for LGBT people and their allies as it commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the event that most view as sparking the modern LGBT rights movement.
San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and other cities across the globe celebrated on Sunday as well – marking 40 years to the day since the famed uprising took place.
New York’s march, which ends its two mile course near the historic Stonewall Inn, drew prominent figures from the LGBT movement, both past and present. Dustin Lance Black, who recently won an Oscar for his screenplay Milk, was one of four grand marshals at the parade. Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg, both of whom worked closely with the iconic LGBT rights leader, Harvey Milk, also grand marshaled the event. Additionally, hundreds of organizations, companies, and political groups marched in support of the local and national LGBT community.
New Yorkers appeared hopeful that soon they would join the ranks of such states as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Delaware and New Hampshire and become the seventh state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. A bill that would extend marriage protections to same-sex couples is currently pending a vote in the NY senate.
Gov. David Paterson (D-NY), a strong proponent of the bill, was an honorary grand marshal in yesterday’s parade. Gov. Paterson told The Associated Press yesterday that “if we have an end to the stalemate in Albany, [he] would think that [the bill] would be passed shortly after.”
But some were in more somber spirits, reflecting on what they see as President Obama’s lack of commitment to the LGBT community. The New York Times, for instance, published an editorial on Sunday, in which columnist Frank Rich noted that “Obama’s inaction on gay civil rights is striking.”
Rich goes on challenge President Obama to action, saying:
Gay Americans aren’t just another political special interest group. They are Americans who are actively discriminated against by federal laws. If the president is to properly honor the memory of Stonewall, he should get up to speed on what happened 40 years ago, when courageous kids who had nothing, not even a public acknowledgment of their existence, stood up to make history happen in the least likely of places.
Blogger ‘ARDem’, however, said to readers on DailyKos and Pam’s House Blend that LGBT people should celebrate their progress, rather than ruminate over their losses:
the fact that a popular President is being held to task for his lack of action on behalf of [the LGBT] community is something that should be reassuring… instead we could be facing the same things those that went before us did – organized state oppression, a world where hatred of LGBT Americans isn’t simply a disgusting fact of life but something to be expected and uplifted. . .
‘ARDem’ bids his readers to “channel the courage of Stonewall” in their struggle toward equality.
Yesterday, President Obama honored the 40th anniversary of Stonewall alongside 250 plus LGBT leaders in the East Room of the White House.
Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman, said of the event:
[It] is a chance for the White House to recognize the accomplishments of LGBT Americans. Invited guests include families, volunteers and activists, and community leaders. This event was long planned as a way to applaud these individuals during Pride month.
GLAAD’s incoming President, Jarrett Barrios, attended the White House event with his 17-year-old son, Javier. Barrios said the event “was a symbol of the fact that the administration recognizes our community at a time when there has been growing frustration about his administration’s seeming reticence to follow through on campaign promises.”
GLAAD will continue to report on the media’s coverage of Stonewall’s 40th Anniversary. Updates can be found on GLAADblog.org as they become available.
Related Posts:GLAAD Attends National Summit on “Putting the “B” in LGBT”
June 29, 2009
Last month, the Bi Writers Association, with support from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York City, organized “Putting the “B” in the LGBT”, a national summit whose aim was to “give people the tools to understand and include the bi community more fully,” said bi activist Sheela Lambert, who was also the driving force and primary organizer behind the summit.
The Bi Summit, as it was dubbed, was co-sponsored by The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the New York Times Company GLBT & Allies Affinity Group and Renna Communications.
The summit began with an incredibly stirring welcome address by Robert A. Woodworth, Director of Meeting and Conference Services and Capital Projects at the LGBT Center. During the course of his address, Woodworth recalled the time and efforts it has taken to make our communities as inclusive as they are now:
“After years of organizing and prodding by some people in this room – Sheela can tell you stories – the Center changed its name in 2001 to include the words “Bisexual” and “Transgender”. Words used publicly – like “gay” in the early 70s and “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender” today – have the power to spark awareness as they are absorbed into the culture. But awareness is not true understanding. That comes with connection and dialogue. That’s why we need a Center where we all bump into each other day in and day out, and why we need this summit.”
Click here to read his entire address.
Summit attendants were also welcomed by Frank O’Connell of the Steering Committee of the New York Times Company GLBT & Allies Affinity Group and Hawk Stone, Board Member of NGLTF, who appeared on behalf of Dr. Jaime Grant, Director of the Policy Institute at NGLTF, who was unable to attend. During the course of the summit, O’Connell also mentioned he was the only openly bisexual person in the Affinity Group, though many others had come out to him in private. Click here to read his welcome speech.
Bisexual and marriage equality activist Robyn Ochs, who was recently honored by NGLTF for her tireless lifetime commitment to the LGBT movement, was the keynote speaker. She spoke of the problematic nature of bi invisibility as people only “see” bisexuals when we are simultaneously partnered with members of both sexes, which is not the reality lived by most of our community.
As a marriage equality activist who is married to a woman, Ochs knows first hand the ways in which media outlets and others have tried to make her bisexuality invisible. She situated part of the blame with the messaging of LGBT organizations and their own biphobia.
Bisexual and Marriage Equality activist Robyn Ochs gives the keynote address.
“We oversimplify our messaging so people will ‘get it’ but then they don’t ‘get it’ because we’ve given them an over-simplistic message…The ick factor with with regard to bisexuality is both about a resistance to sex and a resistance to complexity.”
Following the keynote address, was a series of panels, including Bisexuality: Exploding the Myths*, Bi Community Panel: Telling Our Stories and Crafting the Message: How to Put the “B” in LGBT. The Summit ended with a closing plenary discussion: Putting the B in LGBT: How Can We Do a Better Job?.
Many and varied issues were touched upon emanating from both within and outside of the LGBT community. In Exploding the Myths, Peter Ruggiero of the Bi Writers Association, spoke movingly of the despair that came from the lack of images of bisexual men.
“Hearing bi men don’t exist had detrimental effects on me – I literally though of doing myself in.”
Other speakers called for more representation on a national and political level. Author and activist Ron Suresha noted:
“We have a lack of representation on a national level. They don’t have anyone addressing bisexual issues full time. I think that’s a problem.”
Educator and activist Renata Moreira spoke movingly about her inability to secure a visa for the woman she loves and the fact that the mere request for her partner’s visa has put her own citizenship in jeopardy. Moreira, who has a green card and was applying for her citizenship, was previously married to a man.
“Now they are now reevaluating my paperwork because they think my previous marriage might be fake.”
This suspicion has caused much stress and pain for Moreira, as well as her ex-husband and family, with whom she is still close, as they are all being subjected to an investigation as to the validity of Moreira’s previous marriage.
Moreira’s story illustrates what happens as bisexuality is made invisible on a national and international level. As LGBT organizations continue to do more work around the effects of current immigration law and same-sex couples, this is something we must keep in mind.
Joshua Lynsen, News Editor for the Washington Blade, followed up the panel on Telling Our Stories with a lesson on messaging for news outlets who want to be inclusive of bisexuality. You can read his article which covers all the main points of his talk here.
The closing plenary was a roundtable discussion that featured LGBT activists, media professionals, politicians as well as bi community activists. GLAAD’s Director of National News, Cindi Creager, also took part and addressed the issue of how LGBT organizations could work to keep their messaging consistent with a bi inclusive perspective. It was a rousing discussion with many diverse perspectives and as Ann Northrop, cohost of Gay USA, noted, as someone with 39 years of experience in journalism,
“People do not like complexity. The human race runs screaming from the room not to deal with this.”
Northrop’s suggestions for how to move forward?
“I want to encourage you to encourage the conversation. Talk more. Think more. Have conversations with everybody.”
The first National Summit on “Putting the “B” in LGBT” is a promising beginning to an inclusive and complex conversation.
*Segments of Bisexuality: Exploding the Myths can also be heard on Out FM WBAI New York. It begins about halfway through the segment. Tune in to 99.5 FM New York City on Mondays at 11 am for additional coverage of the summit or visit the station’s archives.
Related Posts:Keith Olbermann at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in NYC
April 2, 2009
Watch Keith Olbermann accept the award for Outstanding TV Journalism Segment at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City. The clip starts with Jane Velez-Mitchell and Hannah Storm introducing all the nominated clips and then announcing Keith Olbermann as the winner.
You can watch Suze, Tyra, Clay and T.R. Knight’s speeches here.
Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the Los Angeles GLAAD Media Awards today!!
20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in NYC Wrap-Up
April 1, 2009
A big thank you to everyone who attended the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by IBM in New York City on March 28! More than 1,500 people attended the event presented by Prudential, which honored outstanding representations of LGBT people in media. GLAAD’s silent and live auctions raised an estimated $110,000 for GLAAD’s culture changing and media advocacy work.
The evening began with a reception at the Marriott Marquis where guests perused silent and live auction items. Meanwhile, the red carpet welcomed over 120 media outlets to photograph and interview special guests and honorees.
Media outlets including Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight and Reuters were on hand to raise visibility for support for the LGBT community from A-list celebrities in attendance. LGBT media outlets including The Advocate, AfterElton.com, Queerty.com and OUTTAKE also took the opportunity interview special guests about their views on marriage equality.
The red carpet was turned white – where staff, guests and celebrities including Clay Aiken, Phil Donahue, S. Epatha Merkerson, T.R. Knight and Jane Velez- Mitchell wore white knots in support of marriage equality (http://www.whiteknot.org/).
The 20th Annual Media Awards kicked off with a hysterical monologue from comedian Kate Clinton who poked fun at Pastor Rick Warren and continued with an opening montage of media images from 2008 that had the crowd laughing with clips from television and film and moved many tears with its incorporation of media coverage of Proposition 8.
Jennifer Holliday shines at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards.
“It’s unbelievable to think about the power and the warp speed of this revolution,” Donahue said during his acceptance. “Twenty years ago when I proudly accepted the first GLAAD Media Award…it was a very small crowd. There are more photographers here tonight than there were people then…. And now, we look up in 2009, and [the LGBT community] is popular. The majority of the people in the nation agree with us. Our job now is to summon these people to stand up and say so out loud. To tell them to join us. To march the lavender line with us down Fifth Avenue, and to remind them, when they do join us, they’re going to meet a lot of nice people.”
Actress Stockard Channing also presented a Special Recognition Award to Sirius OutQ radio personalities Romaine Patterson and Derek Hartley on behalf of Sirius XM for their two hour documentary, The Laramie Project, 10 Years Later. Patterson thanked intern and producer Katie Castellano for her work on the documentary.
The new GLAAD Media Awards Statuette which was unveiled at the New York event, designed by Society Awards
Keith Olbermann received a standing ovation from the crowd when accepting the award for Outstanding TV Journalism Segment for “Special Comment: Gay Marriage is a Question of Love” which aired on Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. Olbermann cited that his presence in the media had an advisor of John McCain change his stance on marriage equality. “One down,” Olbermann said- eliciting laughs and applause from the crowd.
Twenty-year old Donald Smith began a tribute to GLAAD President Neil Giuliano. Smith was a teenager during Giuliano’s tenure as President of Tempe, Arizona and remarked that Giuliano’s visibility had been an inspiration in Smith’s coming out.
Openly gay actor T.R. Knight presented the Vito Russo Award to Suze Orman, personal finance expert and host of CNBC’s The Suze Orman Show. The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBT community.
“I want every single one of you in this room to take note of what corporations put their time and money behind gays, behind lesbians – behind you,” Orman said accepting her award. “Do you want to continue to give your money to people in corporations that oppress us, that keep us down? Or do you want to give your money to the corporations who can help us rise and change what needs to be changed in the United States of America today.” Orman continued, “I ask you to honor those corporations not only with your support but with your money as well. We can do this – and here’s how you’re going to do it. You are going to think about every single penny you spend from this day forward. And the only think I ask of you is to spend it and invest it in those companies that invest in you.”
Openly gay singer Clay Aiken presented the Excellence in Media Award to close personal friend Tyra Banks, who was honored for her strong commitment to educating the public about the lives of gay and transgender people on her talk show, The Tyra Banks Show, and on her reality series, America’s Next Top Model. The Excellence in Media Award is presented to individuals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community in the media.
“[The LGBT community] empowered me,” Banks said in her acceptance speech. “And in turn, when I finally had a platform, and a power, and a voice – no longer just a face, but a voice – to get across the points and the messages that were important to me, I brought you along with me. Because you embraced me and now I embrace you in front of millions to show how beautiful you are, how absolutely amazing you are, how giving you are. And I will continue to do that as long as I have a platform. I will continue to get the message out about gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.”
Holliday returned to the stage to close the evening with a disco version of “And I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls.
The Celebrity After-Party, where attendees applauded included media images from 2008 included special guest DJ Junior Vasquez and a special cocktail from ABSOLUT to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their partnership with GLAAD.
GLAAD thanks over 100 corporate partners for their generous support in making the event a great success and a night to remember.
We hope to see you at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on April 18 where we are honoring Kathy Griffin, Bishop Gene Robinson and The L Word. Additional talent: Jessica Alba, Dustin Lance Black; Balthazar Getty; Megan Mullally; Alan Cumming; Gus Van Sant; George Takei; Bruno Tonioli; Robert Gant, Peter Paige, Thea Gill, Michelle Clunie; Wilson Cruz; and Chad Allen. A third ceremony takes place in San Francisco on May 9 honoring Chad Allen with Special Guests Wilson Cruz, Robert Gant, Jason Lewis and Suze Orman.
Pictures and Winners From The 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in NYC
March 30, 2009
We’ll have some great videos and a full recap of the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City in the coming days, but for now we hope you enjoy the below slideshow and list of winners from Saturday’s event. You can also view the individual pictures in our photo gallery.
The GLAAD Media Awards continue in Los Angeles on April 18 at the Nokia Theatre LA Live where GLAAD will honor Kathy Griffin, Bishop Gene Robinson and The L Word. Special guests include Jessica Alba, Dustin Lance Black; Balthazar Getty; Megan Mullally; Alan Cumming; Gus Van Sant; George Takei; Bruno Tonioli; Robert Gant, Peter Paige, Thea Gill, Michelle Clunie; Wilson Cruz; and Chad Allen.
A third ceremony takes place in San Francisco on May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco honoring Chad Allen and Lucia Mendez with special guests including Dustin Lance Black, Michelle Clunie, Wilson Cruz, Robert Gant, Jason Lewis and Suze Orman.
Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Saturday in New York. Additional awards will be presented in Los Angeles on April 18 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, and in San Francisco on May 9 at the Hilton San Francisco.
- Excellence in Media Award: Tyra Banks (presented by Clay Aiken)
- Vito Russo Award: Suze Orman (presented by T.R. Knight)
- Special Recognition Award: Phil Donahue (presented by Cherry Jones)
- Special Recognition Award: The Laramie Project, 10 Years Later – The Lasting Legacy of Matthew Shepard (presented by Stockard Channing)
- Outstanding Film – Limited Release: TIE: Noah’s Arc: Jumping the Broom (Logo Features/New Open Door Productions) and Shelter (Regent Releasing)
- Outstanding Documentary: A Jihad For Love (First Run Features)
- Outstanding Daily Drama: As the World Turns (CBS)
- Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Special Comment: Gay Marriage is a Question of Love”Countdown with Keith Olbermann (MSNBC)
- Outstanding Newspaper Article: “Owning His Gay Identity – at 15 Years Old” by Theresa Vargas (The Washington Post)
- Outstanding Newspaper Columnist: Leonard Pitts, Jr. (The Miami Herald)
- Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage: The New York Times
- Outstanding Magazine Article: “Let God Love Gene Robinson” by Andrew Corsello (GQ)
- Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: Newsweek
- Outstanding Digital Journalism Article: “Gay Athletes Are Making Their Mark” by LZ Granderson (ESPN.com)
- Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia: “Is Gay the New Black?” by Jessica Bennett and Jennifer Molina (Newsweek.com)
- Outstanding Music Artist: k.d. lang, Watershed
- Outstanding Comic Book: Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Drew Goddard, Jeph Loeb and Joss Whedon (Dark Horse Comics)
- Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off-Broadway: Wig Out! by Tarell Alvin McCraney
- Outstanding New York Theater: Off-Off Broadway: Arias with a Twist by Joey Arias and Basil Twist
SPANISH-LANGUAGE
- Outstanding Novela: Alma de Hierro (Telefutura)
- Outstanding Drama Series: Capadocia (HBO Latino)
- Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character): “Duerme, mi bien” Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real (Univision)
- Outstanding Daytime Talk Show Episode: “Juntos hasta el final” Caso Cerrado (Telemundo)
- Outstanding Talk Show Interview: “La primera boda de pareja de transexuales” Don Francisco Presenta(Univision)
- Outstanding Celebrity News Segment: “La Proposición 8″ Paparazzi TV (Mega TV)
- Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Drama de jóvenes hispanos gay: Rechazados por ser gay”Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo)
- Outstanding Newspaper Article: “Confesiones de padre: Hombres gay revelan su orientación a sus hijos” by Lucero Amador Miranda (La Opinión [Los Ángeles])
- Outstanding Newspaper Columnist: Roberto Hernández (Alianza Metropolitan News [San Jos#233;, CA])
- Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage: La Opinión [Los Ángeles]
- Outstanding Magazine Article: “Contra viento y marea” by Isis Sauceda and Judith Torrea (People en Español)
- Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: People en Español
- Outstanding Digital Journalism Article: “Cuba discutirá derechos gay” by Fernando Ravsberg (BBCMundo.com)
- Outstanding Music Artist: Giovanni Falchetti, Junto a tí
Exclusive Video: Proposition 8 Rally in New York City
November 14, 2008
As mentioned yesterday, here’s video coverage of the Wednesday night Proposition 8 rally in New York City. At least 10,000 people attended the rally, according to reports from organizers picked up by the AP.
First Person: Making Our Voices Heard in New York City
November 13, 2008
The scene: Thousands of people making their voices heard about the passage of Proposition 8 outside a Mormon Temple in Manhattan. As I approached the crowd, video camera in tow, I could already hear the various chants and cheers from people waving their homemade signs – at least 10,000, according to reports from organizers picked up by the AP.
After an hour outside the temple, we marched down along Broadway. Although police lined the crowd, the peaceful nature of the event left the officers to maintaining traffic flow and keeping the marchers moving. We finally stopped at Columbus Circle, where participants waved their signs and cheered under the bright lights of the Time Warner Center.
Our community suffered considerable setbacks last week. As a California expat living in New York City, I cringed as the “yes” votes came in for Proposition 8 on Election Day. I hoped against hope the next few days and lamented when it was officially announced the initiative had passed. Many friends back home shared the same sentiment: “I can’t believe this happened. It feels like a personal attack on my life, my family.” And this wasn’t exclusive just to my homestate. I heard the same from friends in Arizona, Arkansas and Florida.
But this wasn’t a time for anger or blame. We had to gather together as a community and announce ourselves. And the crowd Wednesday night was nothing less than a community coming together. Thousands of friends and family gathered for a shared purpose. I saw people holding hands, hugging, sharing in this experience that although the passage of these anti-gay amendments was a setback, there was still hope.
And then there was Whoopi. Ms. Goldberg herself joined the march holding a sign that read “For My Friends, Equal Rights.” As I talked with her, she told me about sharing in our community’s pain, that despite the excitement over Obama’s election, we still had a ways to go. “Whenever a door opens, the ceiling comes crashing down.” Other celebrities, including lesbian comedian Judy Gold and gay advice columnist Dan Savage, also showed up to give their support.
And the media took notice of the event’s impact. News trucks for the local ABC, NBC and CW affiliates parked right by the crowd, with reporters and cameramen scrambling to film the marchers. National news organizations joined in soon afterwards. I was pleasantly surprised when a CNN microphone quickly sidled up next to me while talking with Whoopi. Hopefully the media will continue to cover our stories as we work towards equality.
Stay tuned tomorrow for exclusive video coverage of the event!
