This past Saturday, Scandal stars Kerry Washington, Guillermo Diaz and Katie Lowes presented Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal) with the Golden Gate Award at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco. The Golden Gate Award is presented to a media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting LGBT equality.
The Hollywood Reporter premiered the video this afternoon.
Watch the presentation below.
In her acceptance speech, Rhimes said, "I think that love is universal. And I think in telling LGBT stories, I'm telling everyone's story. Love is, in fact, universal, right?…I want my daughters to grow up in a world in which there is more love than hate. I want them to know a world where everyone is free. So that's why I write the stories that I do, because everyone should be free. Love should be universal. And no one should get to tell me or you or my kid who they can love, or who they can marry or have babies with." Rhimes continued, "I want to thank GLAAD for bestowing me with this honor, and it truly feels like an honor. I'm going to do my best in the future to deserve the honor that's bestowed on me and make GLAAD proud."
Washington, Diaz and Lowes joined host Dianna Agron (Glee); Rita Moreno (Happily Divorced); Adam Pally (Happy Endings); Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, Ian Harding (Pretty Little Liars); Sean Maher (Much Ado About Nothing); 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; John Gidding (Curb Appeal: The Block); author and advocate Zach Wahls; comedians Fortune Feimster and Chris Franjola; and GLAAD President Herndon Graddick.
Guests also enjoyed a performance by Beverly McClellan, a finalist on season one of The Voice, as well as Mystère by Cirque du Soleil.
The GLAAD Media Awards help fund GLAAD’s work to share culture-changing stories that build support for equality.
For a complete list of award recipients, click here. For pictures of the event, click here.
The 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were presented nationally by Ketel One and Wells Fargo, and presented locally in San Francisco by Southwest Airlines.
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