“The images and stories recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards over the past 30 years raised the bar for LGBTQ inclusion in the media industry and changed the hearts and minds of countless audience members around the world,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “This year’s nominees are changing the game by showcasing diverse races, genders, religions, ages, geographies, and genres in ways that challenge misconceptions and inspire LGBTQ acceptance.”
Several shows with musical elements received nominations as well: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is nominated for outstanding comedy series, Pose and Star are among the shows nominated for best drama series, and American Idol, Love & Hip-Hop and RuPaul’s Drag Race all scored noms for outstanding reality program.
Imagine Dragons' frontman Dan Reynolds' film Believer, which explores how the Mormon church treats its LGBTQ members, received a nod in the outstand documentary field.
After last year’s win for outstanding magazine overall coverage, Billboard is nominated in the category again, with Ebony, Entertainment Weekly, GQ and Variety rounding out the field. Last year, Billboard expanded its year-round LGBTQ coverage through its thriving Billboard Pride channel by launching a dedicated Instagram and Twitter. Highlights from the platform in 2018 included a second iteration of Love Letters to the LGBTQ Community (which included notes from Ariana Grande, Carole King and Sara Bareilles), a video panel of transgender musicians discussing President Donald Trump and his administration’s attacks against the community and the magazine’s first ever Pride issue.
Billboard's sister publication, The Hollywood Reporter, was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, in the outstanding magazine article category. The piece that earned the nod is titled, "21 Transgender Stars, Creators Sound Off on Hollywood: 'I Want to Portray These Characters, and I'm Ready," written by Chris Gardner, Rebecca Sun, Lindsay Weinberg, Joelle Goldstein and Bryan White.
The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 28 at The Beverly Hilton, and in New York on Saturday, May 4 at the Hilton Midtown. A full list of nominees can be found here.
