GLAAD celebrated its fortieth anniversary with a star-studded gala in Beverly Hills, honoring achievements in LGBTQ media and leisure, whereas pushing again at efforts nationwide to show again civil rights protections, prohibit and erase transgender identities.
Doechii accepted a GLAAD Media Award for excellent music artist, Harper Steele gained for excellent documentary for Will & Harper and Nava Mau was honored with the excellent sequence – restricted anthology award for Child Reindeer.
These in attendance rose for an extended and enthusiastic standing ovation as the celebrated Stephen F. Kolzak Award was offered to Cynthia Erivo.
“It isn’t straightforward. None of it’s, waking up and selecting to be your self, proclaiming an area belongs to you if you don’t really feel welcomed,” mentioned Erivo.
The 38-year-old queer Oscar nominee and Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner delivered a transferring acceptance speech, during which she thanked GLAAD but additionally referred to as on the viewers to do extra to assist these in the neighborhood who haven’t but come out. Video of her remarks has gone viral on Instagram.
“Right here on this room, we now have all been the recipients of the present that’s the alternative to be extra. I doubt that it has come straightforward to any of us, however extra, for some, the highway has not been one paved with yellow bricks, however as a substitute paved with bumps and potholes. Whichever highway you have got traveled, how lovely it’s that you simply’ve had a highway to journey on in any respect. There are the invisible ones who’ve had no highway in any respect. For individuals who haven’t
but even begun to search out the highway, be inspired and be affected person with your self, it’s going to present itself,” Erivo mentioned. Then she paused from studying the speech that was within the teleprompter, and advert libbed a poetic, closing message.
“We use the phrase ‘out and proud,’ and although you may not have the energy or capability to try this now, know that I’m pleased with your quiet and solitary wish to be simply that,” she mentioned, after which addressed the group forward of Transgender Day of Visibility. “We’re all seen. We may be seen. We see one another. I see you, you see me. However consider those that haven’t been seen, consider those that sit at nighttime and wait their flip, hoping and ready for a light-weight to gentle their path. I ask each single one in all you on this room, with the areas that you simply’re in, and the lights that you simply maintain, to level it within the course of somebody who simply wants somewhat steerage.”
Broadway legend Patti LuPone provided steerage from queer icons, previous and current, when she took the stage to recite inspiring quotes that introduced the home down.
“I can now not settle for the issues I can’t change. I’m altering the issues I can’t settle for,” LuPone quoted lesbian, feminist, activist Angela Davis. “Popping out is essentially the most political factor you are able to do,” she mentioned, quoting Harvey Milk.
Then LuPone cited among the stars of Drag Race, together with Valentina, Kennedy Davenport, Alyssa Edwards, Trixie Mattel, Airplane Jane, and Latrice Royale. Nevertheless it was the phrases of OG Drag Race alumna Bianca Del Rio that bought the gang on its toes: “Not at this time, Devil. Not at this time!”
“Proper now, LGBTQ+ rights are below assault, however what they take from us, they take from you too,” mentioned Brian Michael Smith, upon successful the award for excellent drama sequence for 911: Lone Star. “These aren’t remoted rollbacks; they’re assaults on all of our civil rights. This type of illustration is greater than visibility, it’s resistance.”
When Doechii accepted the trophy for excellent music artist on the ceremony, the “Denial Is a River” rapper commented on this politically charged second for the LGBTQ group, as she praised GLAAD for its ideas of “acceptance, inclusiveness and empowerment.”
“These are the identical issues I strongly consider in and advocate for and that proceed to propel me ahead, particularly now that hard-won cultural change and rights for transgender folks and the LGBTQ group have been threatened,” mentioned Doechii. “And I’m disgusted. Disgusted. However I wish to say that we’re right here and we’re not going anyplace.”
“These sorts of occasions assist me to really feel help, to really feel like we’re a group working collectively to make ourselves really feel extra seen, make others really feel extra seen, and there’s a lot nonetheless to rejoice,” mentioned singer songwriter David Archuleta, the American Idol alum who made headlines in 2021 when he got here out and give up the Mormon Church. On the pink carpet earlier than the gala, he shared with the Los Angeles Blade his recommendation to followers who wish to discover pleasure amid the gloom: “I like to go dance. Dance is so therapeutic. It’s a spot the place you may simply shake it off, really feel scorching, exit, and that’s a therapeutic approach.”
“That is the place I discover pleasure,” Michaela Jaé Rodriguez advised the Blade. “However the very best instances the place I discover much more pleasure is studying what state we’re in. Studying how I can fireplace myself, put a fireplace behind me, and keep as vigilant as potential and be within the forefront and by no means disappear. And I wish to encourage that to a number of my younger people on the market. Don’t disappear. Stand out, be proud, and don’t be scared. I’m not scared!”
“It feels wonderful, being surrounded by mainly my very own folks is all the time like an enormous heat hug, so I find it irresistible,” Harper Steele advised the Blade.
The author, who took dwelling a GLAAD trophy for her award-winning documentary together with her buddy and fellow SNL alum Will Ferrell, famous that regardless of the enjoyment of the night, she was “very unhappy” about political strikes focusing on the transgender group in Washington, D.C. as nicely the place she grew up in Iowa.
“My own residence state, who gave me trans protections and rights, simply took them away,” Steele advised the Blade. “We’re the primary group that’s ever had these rights taken away from us, so we’re in a bizarre time. I’m going to maintain doing the very best I can to persuade people who they’re incorrect. Not solely are they incorrect, however they’re being silly.”
The Washington Blade was nominated for its protection of the 2024 Summer time Olympics Video games, ”Paris Olympics: Extra queer athletes, extra medals, extra Satisfaction, much less Grindr,” within the class of excellent print article. The winner was “‘Altering The Narrative’: Advocates Battle HIV Stigma in Dallas’ Latino Neighborhood” by Abraham Nudelstejer of The Dallas Morning Information. The Advocate gained for excellent journal general protection, and Jo Yurcaba of NBC Out gained for “Mates Keep in mind Nex Benedict, Oklahoma Scholar Who Died After College Battle, as ‘Fiery Child.’”
The Blade additionally spoke to GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis on the pink carpet.
Ellis and the group survived a troublesome problem in 2024 when Ellis herself got here below fireplace from The New York Occasions for what it referred to as “lavish” spending. It ought to be famous that in a one-on-one dialog with Selection in October, Ellis identified that The Occasions report omitted point out of GLAAD’s multi-year marketing campaign that referred to as consideration to the newspaper’s unbalanced protection of points associated to transgender People and gender-affirming care, and that any spending points raised by the report — seen by many as a success piece in retaliation for GLAAD’s marketing campaign — had already been addressed “two years in the past.”
Ellis advised the Blade she stays centered on GLAAD’s mission to advance acceptance of the LGBTQ group in media.
“I believe tonight for me is about getting everyone collectively to speak about our tales, how necessary they’re, and make it possible for we’re plastering the airwaves with our tales. And I believe it’s about transferring ahead and having a plan. Now we have a plan at GLAAD. We perceive what’s occurred to this media ecosystem and we’re forging ahead.”
Ellis spoke passionately in regards to the problem the nonprofit faces in 2025 and past.
“I believe the media ecosystem has modified so dramatically and tectonically in a brief time frame, “ she mentioned. “We’re seeing that right-wing media will get about 100 million folks per week. Progressive media reaches 30 million folks per week. So, we now have a 70 million individual hole, and that hole is why we’re shedding presidential campaigns, why we’re shedding the narrative, why our group is below siege. Now we have to shut that hole.”
Learn the total listing of nominees and winners of this yr’s GLAAD Media Awards right here.
