Wonder what we're up to at GLAAD? Be sure to check out GLAAD's Newsroom each week for updates about our latest work to build support for LGBT equality through news, entertainment and online media.
Sarah Kate Ellis speaks about growing acceptance among faith communities
GLAAD's President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis spoke with The New York Times about the Duck-Dynasty-inspired "The Duck Commander Family Musical," and said, "The [Robertson] family has become symbolic of a much larger and somewhat dangerous problem of what we’re seeing in America — this issue of homophobia being masked as a religious value.” Ellis' statement illuminated the growing relationship between religious and LGBT communities. Ellis' statement was picked up by USA Today and many other national and LGBT outlets.
Tiq Milan honored at Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Gala
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Tiq Milan was honored at the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition's (HBGC) fifth annual gala, which honors individuals working to empower LGBT communities of color. The HBGC serves as a grassroots response to the lack of visibility, resources, and services for Black, Hispanic, and Latin LGBT individuals in the Greater Boston area. Milan received HBGC’s Audre Lorde Founder’s Award, which is dedicated to an up-and-coming advocate who has taken initiative to create change in LGBT communities of color.
GLAAD brings media to support Kristene Chapa
GLAAD worked with organizers of a rally in Texas that offered support for Kristene Chapa and Mollie Olgin, a female couple who were both shot in the head in 2012 in Portland, Texas. Local and national media joined people at the rally to see Kristene appear and speak at the rally while the pre-trial hearing was held for Kristene and Mollie's attacker. The rally raised funds for Chapa's medical expenses and shed light on this crime against an LGBT woman of color. 
GLAAD's trans advocacy in local journalism
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Dani Heffernan worked with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a newspaper which recently published inaccurate, transphobic coverage of proposed trans-inclusive legislation. The Advocate cited GLAAD's ongoing work to improve the local paper's reporting practices regarding the trans community. "GLAAD joined local advocates in calling on the newspaper to use [a previous] incident as a 'teaching moment.' The group first initiated conversations with both an editor and that reader representative at The Plain Dealer, and then encouraged the newspaper’s staff to meet with a local LGBT group’s transgender advocate," wrote the outlet. GLAAD also met last year with the staffs of The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.
LGBT inclusion in Venezuela
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language and Latino Media Monica Trasandes was interviewed for the radio station, Radio Reflejos, in Venezuela. The company has become advocates with whom GLAAD has recently started working as part of our Global Voices work. Trasandes talked about GLAAD's work to ensure media inclusion. She also shared what she's learned from advocates in other countries in Central and Latin America. Advocates in Latin America look at GLAAD's model as an important one to help guide their own media advocacy efforts. 
Texas gets lesson on covering LGBT issues
GLAAD's Spanish-Language and Latino Media Strategist Janet Quezada spoke with English and Spanish-language media in San Antonio and Houston, Texas about how to fairly and accurately cover LGBT issues. She met with Telemundo and Univision, as well as with the Houston police department. Quezada worked closely with Equality Texas, a non-profit organization that lobbies the Texas legislature on LGBT issues, and other advocates to implement accurate coverage of the LGBT community in Texas.
Oregon's local media learns how to cover transgender issues
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Dani Heffernan worked with Basic Rights Oregon, a non-profit organization that advocates for the LGBT community in Oregon. Heffernan led her second informational webinar for local media in Oregon on respectful news coverage of transgender-related stories. The webinar covered respectful terminology, stereotypes to avoid, and brought attention to issues facing the transgender community in Oregon. This training will help ensure that Oregonians see fair and accurate stories of transgender people in their state.
GLAAD explains the annual TV report and what it means for the LGBT community
GLAAD's Director of Entertainment Media Matt Kane was interviewed by The Frame on LA's NPR affiliate KPCC. Host Jon Horn talked to Kane about GLAAD's most recent television reports and the meaning behind the numbers, highlights from the new TV season, and how LGBT representation on television has improved over the last decade. "I think these numbers are really important to look at, especially compared to where they were five [or] 10 years ago. This gradual increase we've seen is really indicative of the general public's greater acceptance and increased understanding of the LGBT community," Kane said. Listen to the interview here.
GLAAD highlights new book on marriage equality
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist, Claire Pires, interviewed Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director of Freedom To Marry, an organization which advocates for marriage equality. The interview was for GLAAD's video series, GLAAD: All Access, which features interviews with newsmakers, hit-makers, and people making a difference. Solomon talked about his new book, Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits - and Won, which gives readers an inside look into the campaign for marriage equality. The book clarifies the roots of the marriage equality movement and how it got to its present state. Pires and Solomon discussed the need for marriage equality in every state as another step towards equality for the LGBT community. Watch the interview here.
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