Wonder what we're up to at GLAAD? 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.
GLAAD recently released the second annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) mapping the quantity, quality and diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in films released by seven major motion picture studios during the 2013 calendar year. GLAAD researched films released by 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Columbia, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Brothers. The report is intended to serve as a road map toward increasing fair, accurate and inclusive LGBT film representations. View the full report at GLAAD.org/SRI.
Last week, GLAAD staff worked with Andreja Pejic as she prepared to share her life as a transgender woman with Entertainment Tonight, People.com and Style.com. Formerly known as an androgynous model who appeared in campaigns for men and women's fashion, Pejic announced that she will only be modeling women's fashion going forward and that her agency supports her transition. Media outlets received a tip sheet from GLAAD on how to cover the story accurately and respectfully. Andreja's story gained international attention, helping people across the world better understand what it means to be transgender. GLAAD also helped Andreja share her story through her social media channels. Read more.
GLAAD's New York City interns visited MSNBC's Morning Joe to learn more about broadcast media production and deliver a GLAAD Media Award to anchor Thomas Roberts. Roberts received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Journalism for an MSNBC segment about workplace equality. In addition to presenting him with his award, the interns sat down to chat with Roberts, who opened up about his experience being openly gay in the public eye and gave great advice about how to be LGBT advocates both in our work and in their personal lives. Read more.
This month on the FOX Studios Lot, GLAAD and FOX Audience Strategy hosted a panel discussion addressing LGBT media representations, and their importance in bringing about culture change. Hernan Lopez, FOX International Channels President and GLAAD Board Member, introduced the event. GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, who spoke about the dramatic improvements in LGBT representation on television Fox has made in recent years, then took part in a panel discussion that also included actors Taraji P. Henson and Jussie Smollett from the upcoming FOX series Empire, executive producer Margaret Nagle and actor/GLAAD spokesman Wilson Cruz from the upcoming Red Band Society, Glee producer Dante Di Lorento, and advocate and former NFL player Wade Davis from the You Can Play Project, one of GLAAD's partner organizations. The panel was moderated by FOX COO Joe Earley. Read more.
GLAAD attended the ninth annual Netroots Nation conference in Detroit last week, where more than 4,000 progressive advocates convened to exchange ideas and learn how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. There, GLAAD co-sponsored Netroots LGBT Connect, a gathering of LGBT advocates working to move equality forward through digital and new media.
GLAAD took the time recently to interview "Motor City Masters" contestant, Bryan Thompson, on his desire to inspire the next generation of LGBT designers. Thompson has already connected with pop star Katy Perry, has been honing his design skills all his life and plans to use part of the $100,000 grand prize to establish a scholarship for LGBT design students if he is named the next Motor City Master. Read more.
GLAAD national co-chair and New York Times best-selling author, Jennifer Finney Boylan, shared her thoughts with the Huffington Post on five things not to say to a transgender person and three things you should. Transgender people, like anyone else, often face questions based on stereotypes, preconceptions, or straight-up judgment, but Boylan wants people to start asking the open-ended questions that treat transgender people like any other person and/or indicate an openness to learning rather than assuming. Read more.
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