On May 13, GLAAD announced recipients for the final 18 of this year's 33 categories of the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City.
Maren Morris accepted GLAAD's Excellence in Media Award, introduced by Cynthia Lee Fontaine and Alyssa Edwards, making Morris the first country music artist to receive that honor. Jonathan Van Ness accepted GLAAD's Vito Russo Award, presented by ALOK, making Van Ness the first non-binary recipient to receive that honor.
Also, recognizing the rise in anti-LGBTQ+ violence and rhetoric across the country, including more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced so far in 2023, GLAAD welcomed transgender Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr as well as queer and non-binary Oklahoma state Rep. Mauree Turner to spotlight the critical role all have in representing their communities with the power of the vote.
Zephyr said, "Trans people have always been here and we always will be. And not just our lives, but our resilience, our joy, and our love is forever. You cannot legislate trans people out of existence any more than you can legislate away joy and love. If we root ourselves in that love, and root ourselves in community, we are sure to win. We already are."
Turner stated, in part, "" am the culmination of the things bigots hate the most: a Queer Black non-binary Muslim elected official. What they say is: you don't get access to the same Oklahoma as the rest of us because I don't like you. And what I say is: leave your homegrown bigotry at home."
In addition, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the event doubled as a show of solidarity for the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. Jon Stewart, Fire Island writer/star Joel Kim Booster, GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre all shared messages of support before and during the show.
Critics Choice-nominated actor and GLAAD Award winner Harvey Guillen (TV's What We Do in the Shadows) hosted the event. The evening opened with a special performance by multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter and Tony-winning Broadway icon Idina Menzel, who debuted her song "Move," off her upcoming dance project, Drama Queen.
Award recipients' list:
—GLAAD presented the following awards from four categories onstage in New York:
a) Fire Island and Anything's Possible both received the award for Outstanding Film - Streaming/TV
b) We're Here received the award for Outstanding Reality Series
c) The Problem with Jon Stewart received the award for Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
d) "Logo's Trans Youth Town Hall" received the award for Outstanding Online Journalism - Video or Multimedia presented by Frankie Grande and Tamron Hall.
During the New York ceremony, GLAAD also announced winners in the following categories in an off-stage video reel:
—Outstanding Kids & Family Programming - Live Action: Heartstopper (Netflix)
—Outstanding Kids & Family Programming - Animated: Dead End: Paranormal Park (Netflix)
—Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist: Dove Cameron (Columbia Records)
—Outstanding Broadway Production: A Strange Loop
—Outstanding Video Game: Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
—Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology: Young Men in Love (A Wave Blue World)
—Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: "HIV in the Deep South" In Real Life (Scripps News)
—Outstanding TV Journalism — Long-Form: "PRIDE | To Be Seen" Soul of a Nation (ABC)
—Outstanding Live TV Journalism - Segment or Special: "The Last Thing Before We Go: Stephanie Ruhle Talks Spirit Day" The 11th Hour (MSNBC)
—Outstanding Print Article: "Pediatricians Who Serve Trans Youth Face Increasing Harassment. Lifesaving Care Could Be on the Line" by Madeleine Carlisle (TIME)
—Outstanding Online Journalism Article: "Alabama Is Trying to Raise the Legal Driving Age for Trans People to 19" by Nico Lang (TheDailyBeast.com)
—Outstanding Blog: Mombian
—Outstanding Podcast: TransLash Podcast with Imara Jones (TransLash Media) and Sibling Rivalry (Studio71) (TIE)
—Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism Article: "Proyectos de ley anti LGBTQ+ en Florida son una 'licencia para discriminar' y reviven el dolor de Pulse, dicen grupos locales" por Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio (OrlandoSentinel.com)
—Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism - Video or Multimedia: "Las abuelas trans buscan dignificar su vejez" por Liliana Rosas y Silvana Flores (ReporteIndigo.com)
Award recipients from the March 31 ceremony in Los Angeles are listed at https://www.glaad.org/releases/glaad-media-awards-videos-allies-stand-trans-community-and-against-anti-lgbtq-legislation.
—Andrew Davis
