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Be sure to check out GLAAD's Blog each week for updates about our latest work to build support for LGBT equality through news, entertainment, and online media.
For focusing media attention on the violence and intimidation faced by LGBT Russians, ABC World News Tonight earned the GLAAD Gold Medal for LGBT inclusive coverage of the Olympics. In a segment aired last night, World News Tonight talked to LGBT Russians, as well as those who target and attack them. This is the most extensive reporting on the violence faced by LGBT Russians by a mainstream US outlet. With this report, ABC has done the work of talking to LGBT Russians where they are. Read more here.
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes was asked to be a guest on Mundo Fox's ¿Verdad o Mentira? and CNN en Español's Sin Limites to talk about NFL draft pick Michael Sam's coming out. Her appearances exemplify the continued relationship-building with producers to ensure that LGBT topics are covered and covered well. ¿Verdad or Mentira? is hosted by Rolando Nichols, a long time Los Angeles area news anchor. Sin Limites has already devoted 3 segments this year and many more last year to LGBT people. Hosted by Elizabeth Espinoza, the show airs on CNN en Español daily and the host always uses her twitter and Facebook following to engage with questions related to the show. You can watch the segment on Mundo Fox here.
GLAAD hosted 20 transgender advocates and allies at its first Transgender Advocates Media Training. The purpose of the training was to to introduce transgender spokespeople and leaders at other organizations to a platform for getting out their messages on transgender equality and inclusion. There were several points of interests represented that afternoon: Callen-Lorde Medical Center, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, Martian Entertainment, and TransJustice just to name a few. They all gathered at GLAAD's New York office to discuss transgender representation in the media, as well as media and best practices. GLAAD hopes to extend the training to a day long event hosting advocates from across the country.
GLAAD's Spanish Language Media team hosted a delegation of LGBT advocates from Latin America organized by the State Department's Visitor Bureau. The advocates from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru shared their triumphs, strategies, and challenges with GLAAD, the Latino Equality Alliance, Transvisible Coalition, and others. The advocates are working on the same intersecting struggles for transvisibility, economic justice, anti-discrimination, anti-violence, equality and dignity that we are working for in the U.S. using strategies like kissing campaigns, runs for public office, billboard ads, and video documentaries. This part of GLAAD's international work that has included talks at the Chilean Embassy and working with other delegations in the past.
For Valentine's Day, GLAAD highlighted the profiles of LGBT Russian couples. Olga and Maria describe how they met and fell in love. Ivan and Aleksandr had to leave Russia because they were married. In the context of Russia's anti-LGBT laws, these stories are powerful reminders that loving someone else is a revolutionary act. Anya and Nata talk about their love of couples' dancing.
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