Yesterday, GLAAD announced the nominees for the 2013 GLAAD Media Awards, the annual awards ceremony that acknowledges and lauds the work of celebrities, media professionals and community advocates who have contributed to the positive and accurate representation of the LGBT people in the media. This year, the nominees include a number of African-American LGBT individuals and allies whose visibility helps expand the conversation about LGBT issues and challenges the misconception that being LGBT, or an ally, is exclusive to being white and male. These nominees include a diverse range of characters, personalities and issues, and we continue to urge the media to spotlight more of these types of stories.
Frank Ocean, heralded as "one of the music industry's most celebrated artists of last year" by BET.com, has been nominated for Outstanding Music Artist category, garnering media attention from VIBE and Ebony.com:
Congrats! @frank_ocean Nominated at 34th @glaad Awards bit.ly/WielnD
— VibeMagazine (@VibeMagazine) January 17, 2013
Oprah, Frank Ocean, Marc Lamont Hill and EBONY .com among 2013 @glaad Media Award nominees: ow.ly/gTBPn
— EBONY Magazine (@EBONYMag) January 17, 2013
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Oprah Winfrey is nominated for her Next Chapter interview "At Home with Neil Patrick Harris, His Fiancé David Burtka, & Their Twins," which explored the couples home life and the realities of being gay dads, as is Bryan Gumbel for his "The Last Closet" segment about being gay in professional sports.
Actress and trans advocate Laverne Cox (Musical Chairs) and television producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy) tweeted their excitement about being nominated.
We, the cast and crew of #musicalchairs are proud to be nominated for a @glaad Media Award! #glaadawardsglaad.org/mediaawards Laverne Cox (@Lavernecox) January 16, 2013
We at @greysabc are proud to be nominated for a @glaad Media Award! #glaadawardsglaad.org/mediaawards
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) January 16, 2013
Melissa Harris-Perry, whose show is nominated in the Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine category for her segment “Being Transgender in America,” responded to an email from GLAAD about the nomination: “I burst into tears (and immediately Tweeted this) as soon as I read it. I can't think of an award that could mean more to me to have MHP Show recognized for. “
Bloggers Kortney Ryan Ziegler, blac(k)ademic, and Rod McCullom, Rod 2.0, are nominated for Outstanding Blog.
Congratulations to every one of my fellow @glaad Media Award nominees. So much talent and brilliance! Bravo! #GLAADAwards
— Rod McCullom (@rodmccullom) January 16, 2013
i'm so honored! RT @tracygarza: @fakerapper @andy_marra @chrisgeidner congratulations to all of you on your #glaadawards nominations! :D
— Dr. K. R. Ziegler (@fakerapper) January 16, 2013
Marc Lamont Hill is nominated for his Ebony.com article "Why Aren't We Fighting for CeCe McDonald" Outstanding Digitial Journalism Article.
Congrats @marclamonthill on your @glaad Media Award nomination! Thank you for shining light on ALL members of the Black family & experience.
— NBJC (@NBJContheMove) January 17, 2013
Columnists Eugene Robinson from The Washington Post and Leonard Pitts, Jr from The Miami Herald are nominated in the syndicated columns section.
Check out the full list of GLAAD Media Awards nominees here. The winners will be announced in New York on March 16; Los Angeles on April 20; and San Francisco on May 11.
Congratulations to all of the GLAAD Media Awards nominees!