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Millions learn of GLAAD's advocacy with Bruce Jenner and transgender community
While researching and reporting the interview with Olympian and reality star Bruce Jenner, ABC looked to GLAAD as a valuable source of information on the issues affecting the transgender community, frequently tapping our resources and expertise. ABC News also used GLAAD's Media Reference Guide, along with quotes from GLAAD staffers, in materials created for ABCNews.com to accompany the interview. In the week leading up to the interview, GLAAD fielded dozens of media requests from journalists writing stories about how the media is covering transgender issues and looking for a local angle about transgender people in their area. Using GLAAD's network of media-trained spokespeople and our connections to local transgender equality advocates, GLAAD was able to refer journalists to trans people around the country who could speak about their experiences. GLAAD's Director of Programs for Transgender Media Nick Adams gave on-camera interviews to Access Hollywood, E! News, Canada's CTV eTalk, spoke with Newsweek, and participated on a live panel discussion on E! immediately following the Jenner interview. GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis joined CNN's Reliable Sources, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight to discuss reaction to the special. Well over 700 outlets noted GLAAD's role in ensuring responsible, accurate coverage of Bruce Jenner—whose groundbreaking interview with Diane Sawyer also featured GLAAD Board of Directors Co-Chair Jenny Boylan—and the transgender community. The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, People, New York Daily News, Miami Herald, The Huffington Post, and many, many more were among the leading outlets to report. A wealth of outlets also featured GLAAD's work in the headlines, including TIME's "Read GLAAD's Moving Statement about Bruce Jenner." ABC's Good Morning America also sat down with Jenny Boylan, and read President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis' statement on air.
As the ABC interview with Bruce Jenner aired, GLAAD used PR Newswire to send a Tip Sheet to thousands of journalists around the country with information about how to report on the interview fairly and accurately. This included explaining that while most transgender people prefer a new name and pronoun after disclosing they are transgender, Bruce Jenner had not yet requested that change. Therefore journalists should clarify why they are still referring to him with his birth name and male pronouns. Media outlets across the country used the language in our Tip Sheet to ensure their reporting reflected Jenner's wishes. Over the next several months, GLAAD will be working with E! to provide resources that will help them fairly and accurately create a docu-series about Bruce Jenner living life as his authentic self. GLAAD has already provided materials to the Jenner/Kardashian family to help them use respectful terminology when speaking to the media about their parent, and GLAAD has conducted 3 trainings for E! staffers to help them become more sophisticated in talking about transgender issues. Read GLAAD's statement here.
GLAAD ensures accurate coverage of Bruce Jenner for Spanish-language outlets
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada worked with outlets including Univision, BBC Mundo and CNN en Español to ensure accurate coverage of Bruce Jenner and reached out to over 30 top Spanish-speaking journalists and Spanish-language outlets to provide them with a tip sheet in Spanish of accurate ways to cover the story. The team shared appropriate terminology and worked with producers to find and book transgender advocates nationally to appear on these networks. Trasandes and GLAAD's Donor Services Coordinator Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen were interviewed on the popular show CNN Showbiz en Español to discuss Bruce Jenner's story and the Latino transgender community. Trasandes also did interviews with Univision and BBC Mundo on the topic.
GLAAD launches historic "Concert for Love & Acceptance" set for Nashville during CMA Fest in June
On June 12, 2015, artists and celebrities from across the country will come together in a coalition of support for LGBT acceptance at the inaugural Concert for Love and Acceptance, presented by Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning artist Ty Herndon and GLAAD, at City Winery in Nashville, Tenn. The first-of-its-kind country music event, which will take place during CMA Fest, will be co-hosted by Herndon and political commentator and author Meghan McCain. Performers and special guests include Melinda Doolittle, Shelly Fairchild, Billy Gilman, Jennifer Knapp, Jamie O'Neal, and Pastor Stan Mitchell of GracePointe Church. Additional performances and appearances will be announced. Tennessean, CMR Nashville, Frontiers Media, Music News Nashville, Nashville Music Guide, Nashville Country Club, Little Rebellion Music, Focus on the 615, CDX, Nash FM, and On Top Magazine were among the regional and LGBT outlets to report the historic concert. This concert is part of GLAAD's Southern Stories initiative, which aims to amplify the voices of LGBT people and allies in the American South. For general ticket information, please visit: www.glaad.org/nashville. Read more here.
GLAAD and The Advocate work together on interview with outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder
GLAAD worked with reporter Edward Wyckoff Williams on an interview for The Advocate with outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, in which he explained his own journey to become an LGBT ally. Holder spoke about the gap between legal protections and cultural acceptance, for both the LGBT and African-American communities. GLAAD worked with Williams to prepare for the interview, including providing him with a briefing on Accelerating Acceptance, the report by GLAAD that outlines the gap between legal equality and cultural acceptance in the United States. Holder spoke of the LGBT people who have inspired him to become an LGBT ally, from his uncle Sonny to the many LGBT families who work with him at the Justice Department. Read more here.
GLAAD's Spanish-language team works with La Opinion newspaper on accurate coverage
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada met with 15 editors and staff writers at La Opinion, the country's top Spanish-language daily newspaper. Founded in 1926, the newspaper has an estimated 390,562 daily readers and 1,061,581 unique readers each week. The team discussed ways to accurately cover the LGBT community.
GLAAD worked on the ground at the Supreme Court of the United States
As a part of the Unite for Marriage coalition, GLAAD staff members were on the ground at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington DC this week for the oral arguments of four statewide marriage equality cases. GLAAD's Strategist Alexandra Bolles, Director of Programs Ross Murray, and Director of Communications Seth Adam have been working within the coalition of leading advocacy organizations for months, spreading the word about this momentous period in the movement for marriage equality. While in DC, Bolles attended and engaged media attention around multiple faith-based events in support of the LGBT community, and worked with Adam to do so as well for the Unite for Marriage rally on the steps of the Supreme Court. Murray shared updates from DC in real time with GLAAD's followers. A ruling for these cases will most likely be announced this summer. Read more here.
GLAAD's Spanish-language team assists outlets with fair coverage of marriage equality hearings
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada worked with Spanish-language media outlets to ensure accurate coverage of the Supreme Court hearings. The team booked Spanish-speaking couples and met with them to prepare them for television appearances to discuss marriage equality, including Candy Cintron and her wife Lena, as well as Florida advocates and many others. Trasandes also did an interview with reporter Selene Rivera from the newspaper Hoy on marriage equality and sent resources to dozens of reporters nationally.
GLAAD: All Access profiles Vanessa Hudgens' support for the LGBT community
GLAAD's Video and News Strategist Claire Pires interviewed actress Vanessa Hudgens for GLAAD's video series, GLAAD: All Access. Hudgens discussed her new role as Gigi in the Broadway musical "Gigi" and why she's an ally to the LGBT community. Hudgens also participated in GLAAD's #GotYourBack campaign, which provides a space for LGBT people and allies to voice their support for the LGBT community. The video garnered over 25,000 views and was covered in 13 outlets, including The Huffington Post, The Advocate, Bustle, Just Jared, Curve Magazine, Australia's Lesbians on the Loose Magazine, Inquisitr, SheWired, The Backlot, AfterEllen, PinkNews, and Broadway World. Hudgens shared the video on Twitter and Tumblr. Watch the interview here.
GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media team garners attention of leading national outlets
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada worked with an Associated Press reporter covering the Mexican band, Los Tigres del Norte, who are LGBT allies and won special recognition from GLAAD this year. The New York Times ran the story, and it was syndicated in many English- and Spanish-language outlets.
Ross Murray works to amplify gay man's story of being diagnosed "homosexual"
An op-ed titled, "My Doctor Diagnosed Me as 'Homosexual'" by openly gay man Matthew Moore, ran in the Advocate, as a result of GLAAD's Director of Programs Ross Murray's work. Murray worked with Moore, empowering him to tell his story, and ensured the piece ran on the Advocate's site. "My doctor had diagnosed my sexuality as a chronic condition, or disease," wrote Moore. "There it was. Right on my medical record. In the same section as Crohn's disease: “Homosexual Behavior Code 302.0. I couldn’t believe this was happening. In Southern California. In 2013. As a gay man, I have no issue with my sexuality being referenced by my doctor in my social history. But seeing it listed on my medical record as a chronic condition or disease is wrong."
GLAAD sponsors Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival's LGBTQ short films program
GLAAD was a community co-presenter of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival's LGBTQ short films program, Liminally Yours, which screened on Sunday, April 26. The program, co-curated by Erica Cho and Leeroy Kun Young Kang, featured nine short films and was followed by an after party at Human Resources LA. GLAAD's sponsorship helped bring several filmmakers to L.A. for the screening and to perform at the after party.
YouTube wins Shorty Award for LGBT-inclusive #ProudToPlay campaign
At the 7th Annual Short Awards, YouTube's #ProudToPlay campaign won the award for Best Use of Video. #ProudToPlay served as a YouTube-powered cause that brought together athletes, celebrities, and YouTube personalities to champion equality and inclusivity for athletes around the world. GLAAD was proud to work with YouTube on this campaign, and other initiatives.
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