New York Post cartoon sparks controversy

New York Post cartoonist Sean Delonas' caricature that shows a police officer shooting a chimpanzee while his partner mocks President Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill has prompted the Rev. Al Sharpton to speak out against what he asserts is an overtly racist cartoon.

The cartoon, which appears in today's Post, appears to link Travis the chimp, who severely disfigured a Stamford, Connecticut, woman on Monday before police killed him, to Obama. The caption read "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," but Sharpton described the cartoon to the Associated Press as "troubling at best."

Delonas is certainly no stranger to controversy. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has issued numerous calls to action over his cartoons that mock LGBT people. Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, actor George Takei and Thomas Beatie are among those Delonas has depicted, but his latest cartoon implies GLAAD's efforts have generated little (if any) tangible results.

Sharpton's comments to the Associated Press also beg the question as to whether expressions of outrage actually draw more attention to a cartoonist who arguably generates more publicity for himself and the publication that publishes his work. I struggled with this very question at GLAAD after the Post published two of Delonas' cartoons in Oct. 2006 that mocked McGreevey and disgraced Congressman Mark Foley [R-Fla.] and compared marriage for same-sex couples to bestiality. GLAAD was quick to issue two calls to action that urged its supporters to express their outrage, but nothing concrete came out of these efforts.

Delonas' latest cartoon is certainly disturbing and unfortunate. The fact remains, however, public expressions of outrage simply garners more publicity for a publication that arguably has little incentive to listen to its critics. A new and arguably more drastic game plan is in order to adequately address these problematic cartoons and the tabloid that continues to publish them.

Is Brian Williams Anti-Gay?

The blogosphere (and even some activist circles within the movement for LGBT rights) are abuzz over NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams asserted marriage is 'under attack' during a news segment about Queen Elizabeth's 60th wedding anniversary on Monday. Some have drawn parallels between the anchor and his parent company, which is owned by General Electric. Others have pointed out this phrase as part and parcel of the anti-gay industry's repeated assertions against marriage for same-sex couples. And yet more simply downplay the assertion.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation reached out to Williams and his producer in response to the phrase. Williams himself posted a reaction on his blog. The lesson learned from this 'unintentional' error remains that words do matter. Williams himself knows this fact as a veteran journalist. He should have known better regardless of his explanation of why the phrase was included in the segment. Hopefully he will do better next time.

GLAAD After New Post-Again-For 'Toe Tapping'

I have to acknowledge my former GLAAD colleagues for their recent consistency in their attempts to hold the New York Post accountable for their arguably homophobic and clearly sensational coverage of many LGBT-related stories. I wrote this story for EDGE earlier this week after the media watchdog criticized the tabloid for its use of 'toe tapping' to describe former CNN Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts in relation to an alleged Manhunt profile in which he posted explicit pictures of himself. Gossip is gossip until proven otherwise but the question remains as to whether GLAAD's efforts to go after the Post will actually generate any concrete results. Many activists have blasted the media watchdog for their apparent lack of protocol to the Post -- or at the very least a slow response to problematic coverage. Others remain highly skeptical. These points of view arguably remain valid. The question remains, however, as to whether attempts to reign in the Post are worth the time. New York activists founded GLAAD in 1985 in direct response to the tabloid's highly problematic coverage of the AIDS epidemic so the media watchdog has an added charge, if you will, to handle this situation correctly.

The New York Post, which is a must-read for many Manhattanites for its Page Six gossip coverage, has landed itself in hot water for a perceived anti-gay slur. It’s far from the first time the newspaper, which has positioned itself as a national tabloid in the tradition of London’s Sun and News of the World--both also owned by press lord Rupert Murdoch--has been cited for its coverage.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD is up in arms over the Post’s description of an openly gay former CNN Headline News anchor in an article published in Page Six on Sept. 7. The gossip column reported now Insider co-host Thomas Roberts posted explicit pictures under his profile on the popular gay cruising site Manhunt. Manhattan blogger Kenneth Walsh had posted them on his blog Kenneth in the 212. The pictures contain full-frontal and nude back pictures but do not display the man’s face.

GLAAD took issue with the tabloid’s description of Roberts as a "toe-tapper." The term refers to outgoing U.S. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who was arrested last month by undercover police in a Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport restroom for allegedly soliciting sex. The police officer reported an elaborate ritual for soliciting sex that involved Craig putting his foot into the officer’s stall and tapping his foot, an action that quickly became fodder for late-night comics.

GLAAD Director of Media Strategy Paul Karr told EDGE in a prepared statement that the Post continues its homophobic reporting through the use of the slur. "What we’ve got is a paper that’s stuck wallowing in the prejudices of the 1980s," he said. "The stereotypes the Post clings to so desperately might have seemed novel two decades ago, but today they’re just vulgar, cheap and tired."

Rubenstein Public Relations, the high-powered New York firm that serves as the Post’s and Murdoch’s New York mouthpiece, did not return EDGE’s requests for comment.

The Post has a long history of tempestuous relations with the gay community. In fact, it helped contribute to the founding of GLAAD itself. New York activists founded GLAAD in 1985 in response to what they deemed the tabloid’s homophobic and salacious coverage of the AIDS epidemic in the city.

GLAAD further blasted the Post last October after it published two cartoons by Sean Delonas, the cartoonist whose viciously satiric jabs usually appear on Page Six. One featured openly gay former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey comforting former Florida Congressman Mark Foley with the caption "Look on the bright side Foley, you’ll have a best-selling book." Another featured a veil-clad man holding a sheep outside a marriage license window following the New Jersey Supreme Court’s ruling that extended civil unions to same-sex couples in the Garden State. (There was no explanation as to what the relevance was, since the sheep was not a ram, and thus female, as many bloggers pointed out.)

GLAAD also named the Post one of its 2006 Anti-Gay Defamation Offenders in a list it released on January 3. These efforts seemed in vain, however, after the tabloid published yet another Delonas cartoon in July that featured McGreevey threatening Miss New Jersey Amy Polumbo in light of the blackmail scandal which nearly forced her to surrender her crown.

The media watchdog again publicly criticized the Post, but a number of activists and even media professionals remain highly skeptical as to whether these efforts have generated tangible changes in its coverage of LGBT-related stories. Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute categorized the tabloid as the "worst of the worst" of what she described as "frat house humor" in an interview with EDGE.

She quickly added GLAAD and other organizations face an uphill battle each time they publicly criticize the Post. "I seriously doubt the Post is going to change," McBride said. "They’ve identified a market and this use of language and treatment of sexual orientations fits within that identity."

Conservative Commentator Sparks Outrage With Apparent Support of Anti-Gay Violence

The fine folks [and former colleagues] over at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation have certainly been quite busy lately presumably working behind the scenes with media professionals after news of U.S. Sen. Larry Craig [R-Idaho]'s arrest inside a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport restroom. The media watchdog most recently took on commentator Tucker Carlson and his network after he appeared to condone anti-gay violence during a similar incident he said happened to him in Washington in the mid-1980s.

GLAAD posted Carlson's comments and his subsequent statement on its Web site. One can easily conclude from his own statements that he appears to condone anti-gay violence from his masculine if not slightly aloof perspective. He clearly enjoys to push buttons as he and his guests have proven. Carlson's attempt at so-called humor resonates reasonably well with his target audience of white and presumably heterosexual viewers. The question remains whether to elevate Carlson's comments through a very public -- and messaged -- alert geared to respond to LGBT outrage and questions about a group's continued relevancy or to not respond [and further alienate an already suspicious community]. There is no easy solution in this case but to simply change the channel is not an option.

GLAAD Decides to Include LGBT Media in Annual Media Awards

In a significant policy shift, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation will allow LGBT media to submit nominations for its annual GLAAD Media Awards. GLAAD President Neil Giuliano stated his organization's board approved the change in their June meeting as a way to reflect continued changes within media.

"With the expansion of cable channels and niche programming, LGBT created and consumed media is more readily available than ever before," he said. "Our Board has decided to incorporate LGBT media submissions into the existing competitive categories. We welcome the opportunity for LGBT media to submit their journalism and programming for consideration."

Giuliano's statement further details GLAAD's rationale behind its decision to exclude LGBT media in the late 1990s but fails to acknowledge here! Senior Vice President of Corporate and Marketing Communications Stephen Macias' very public criticism of the organization's previous policy earlier this year. This brouhaha significantly tarnished GLAAD's credibility among many activists and benefactors within the movement for LGBT rights. The organization remains hyper-sensitive to its perception and image within its various constituencies. The board's decision is a direct attempt to repair GLAAD's damaged reputation among these various stakeholders.

New York Post Continues to Offend

The New York Post once again solified its position as an 'equal opportunity offender' with its latest Sean Delonas cartoon.

Nobody in the movement for LGBT rights -- especially in New York -- should express shock that the New York Post continues to maintain its status as an 'equal opportunity offender.' The conservative tabloid struck yet again yesterday with a Sean Delonas pokes fun at the recent Miss New Jersey Amy Polumbo scandal with a cartoon which depicts former Garden State Gov. Jim McGreevey in a bikini, high-heels, tiara and sash holding a threat letter as a man in a bedroom waits in the background.

One can easily conclude Delonas' cartoons are tacky at best -- or outright offensive at worst. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation concluded the latter and issued an Action Alert to its constituency late yesterday. The Post published two Delonas' cartoons last October which poked fun at former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley [R-Fla.] and the New Jersey Supreme Court decision which led to the Garden State's civil unions law. Both cartoons depicted McGreevey and GLAAD responded after a flurry of complaints.

I was the organization's Northeast Media Field Strategist at the time and heralded many of these calls. I also brought these complaints to the attention of the Post to little avail outside a pledge to publish letters in a future edition of the Post. New York activists created GLAAD in 1985 in response to the tabloid's sensational coverage of people living with HIV and AIDS. One can argue it is refreshing to see the self-described media watchdog go after the Post. I fear, however, the tabloid's executives and even editors will not listen to an LGBT organization. LGBT New Yorkers will almost certainly call upon their brothers and sisters to boycott the Post. They will even criticize GLAAD for not being proactive enough in its approach to deal with the tabloid. Perhaps now is a time for the movement for LGBT rights to think outside of its narrow box as it strategies how to address this continued offense.

ABC Does Not Renew Isaiah Washington's Contract

The Associated Press reported late yesterday ABC did not renew actor Isaiah Washington's contract for another season on the popular medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy.' Washington faced scathing criticism from gay rights organizations [and fellow cast members] after he used a homophobic slur during a post-Golden Globes press conference to deny he had used one against out co-star T.R. Knight during an off-set scuffle last Fall. The actor publicly apologized for his outburst and appeared in a long-awaited anti-homophobia PSA late last month as promised.

Washington appears genuinely sorry for his comments and the broader impact they have had. The movement -- the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network in particular -- continue to milk these comments for all their worth in their efforts to combat hate speech. These efforts are noble. Washington remains a high profile figure and his work on this issue provides an opportunity to change more hearts and minds. Perhaps he will continue his anti-homophobia work with the movement post-'Grey's Anatomy.' It remains unclear. This blogger, however, remains very eager to see the movement's 'official' response to ABC's decision.

Isaiah Washington PSA Airs

A long-awaited PSA which features Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington finally aired on ABC last night during two episodes of the popular medical drama. Washington met with GLAAD President Neil Giuliano and GLSEN Founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings earlier this year after he used an anti-gay slur during a post-Golden Globes press conference. The actor reportedly agreed to appear in the PSA as a means to combat intolerance against LGBT people. A simple PSA does not erase the impact Washington's statements had on his colleagues and the overall LGBT community. Activists [and the broader movement], however, should commend Washington and his appearance in the spot as continued personal accountability for his words and the resolution of the impact they continue to have. This blogger remains hopeful Washington will continue to work with the movement to counter homophobia within Hollywood and across this country.

The Rev. Jerry Falwell Dies

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, a long-time nemesis of LGBT activists and progressive organizations and political factions, died yesterday after he was found unconscious in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. President George W. Bush, U.S. Sen. John McCain [R-Ariz.] and other GOP Presidential hopefuls, the Rev. Al Sharpton and other religious figures have added their condolences to the already long list of public tributes. But Falwell's vitriolic anti-LGBT rhetoric simply cannot be ignored.

Falwell publicly secured his anti-LGBT credentials with his support of Anita Bryant's efforts to repeal a South Florida gay rights ordinance in the late 1970s. The outspoken minister's categorization of AIDS as God's condemnation of homosexuality further enraged activists while his denunciation of the Teletubbies because he believed Tinky Winky was gay bordered on the absurd. Falwell further vilified himself among progressives after he said gay rights supporters and others caused the Sept. 11 attacks in the days after the tragedy.

The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, CNN and the BBC are among the media outlets to report Falwell's anti-gay legacy. The National Lesbian & Gay Task Force and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation also drew attention to these sentiments in their public responses to Falwell's death.

Falwell certainly became a national [and perhaps mythical] figure who did not fail to influence politics and the movement he helped to create and elevate out of the pews. His many supporters will continue to praise the good work they feel he has done and they will seek to romanticize his life in the coming days and weeks. But he leaves behind a divisive legacy of homophobia and intolerance from which even those within his own constituency have begun to distance themselves. This legacy remains an essential part of the Falwell story that must be told.

Isaiah Washington Announces PSA With GLAAD and GLSEN

A litany of celebrities continue to partake in that all too predictable cycle of using racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic slurs, quickly apologizing for their offensive comments and doing damage control to deflect attention away from any potential damage the backlash may have done to their carefully choreographed careers. Grey's Anatomy's co-star Isaiah Washington is among these public figures.

He sparked outrage earlier this year among the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network and other LGBT activists and organizations with his use of a homophobic slur during an interview with reporters after the Golden Globes. Washington quickly apologized for the slur. He met with GLAAD President Neil Giuliano and GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings and soon afterwards announced he had entered a treatment facility to rectify his own homophobia. Many activists remained highly skeptical of what they perceived to be a high-profile PR campaign designed to deflect attention away from Washington's perceived homophobia. But his publicist's announcement yesterday the actor will appear in a PSA with GLAAD and GLSEN could begin to change these perceptions.

This blogger remains highly skeptical of PR campaigns and the repeated attempts at damage control in which high profile figures continue to engage. Washington's announcement, however, comes as a hopeful development he took the criticism from earlier this year to heart. It remains to be seen whether the actor will stay true to this apparent new found course. But his recent announcement remains a positive step forward.

Outing in 2007: Media Coverage of Glass Closets

My article, see below, appears in today's New York Blade. This issue remains quite contentious among activists and journalists alike.


Out Magazine’s May issue reignited and redirected the debate on outing celebrities and public figures. “The Glass Closet: Why the stars won’t come out and play” reads the cover line. The provocative image portrays two models holding masks of actress Jodie Foster and CNN personality Anderson Cooper.

In the feature story, Village Voice gossip columnist Michael Musto examines the reasons celebrities choose not to openly discuss their sexual orientation—specifically, those celebrities who seemingly live an openly gay life on many counts but who refuse to divulge the details in the press. Hence, the term “glass closet.”

The issue of Out also includes a story called “The Power 50,” which lists the most powerful gay men and women in America. (The top five: David Geffen, Anderson Cooper, Ellen DeGeneres, Tim Gill and Barney Frank.)

Before the issue hit the stands, it was a hot topic among bloggers and activists. Many praised the magazine; others went on the attack.

Musto himself was quick to defend the article, saying he has a right to report on celebrities’ personal lives. “As an entertainment reporter, I cover celebs’ lives,” Musto said. “When these people are acting out same-sex love affairs, often in public, it’s not even outing. It’s simply reporting.”

The openly gay columnist has written extensively about Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres and other lesbian and gay celebrities, at times reporting on them before they came out in the media.

Musto labeled potential critics of his reporting as hypocrites. “No one ever complains when the reports are about Paris Hilton’s boyfriends or Lindsay Lohan’s partying,” Musto said. “Most of the people who are so outraged at the [Out] piece gobble up all kinds of personal gossip all day long, but suddenly become pious when gay sex comes up.”

In a New York Daily News article, Chris Ciompi, editorial director of Genre magazine, which is affiliated with the Blade, criticized Out Magazine editor Aaron Hickin for putting likenesses of Foster and Cooper on the cover. Ciompi described the stunt as a ploy to sell magazines. “Your right to privacy is a constitutional right,” Ciompi said. “Maybe Jodie and Anderson would prefer to be known for their work, not their sexuality. The climate of the United States today still would not allow that to occur. With Anderson, many people would perceive his credibility to be undermined.”

Hicklin defended the article. He, like Musto, suggested celebrities remain in the closet to protect and advance their careers. Hicklin challenged them to come out as a way to decrease media speculation.

“It takes people like Jodie Foster and Anderson Cooper to acknowledge their sexuality to stop [this story from] being intrinsically interesting to the media,” he said. “None of these are new arguments. There’s enough information out there, and we were just stating the obvious.”

Sirius Satellite Radio host Michelangelo Signorile has outed late publishing tycoon Malcolm Forbes and other public figures throughout his journalism career. He agreed with Hicklin’s defense of Musto’s article.

“Journalists are not in the business of helping people’s careers with lies—or at least, they’re not supposed to be—or being worried about the well-being of public figures to the point of keeping facts out of stories,” he said. “They’re supposed to be in the business of telling the truth.”

The abrupt resignation of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley [R-Fla.] last September after ABC News broadcast sexually explicit e-mails he sent to a former Congressional page and other recent scandals, such as claims former pastor Ted Haggard had sex with a former male prostitute, highlight the difficulty national LGBT organizations face in addressing outing. The Human Rights Campaign and other organizations quickly issued statements that condemned the former Congressman’s alleged conduct.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, on the other hand, remained silent for several weeks despite several conservative commentators who attempted to link homosexuality and pedophilia after Foley came out.

GLAAD President Neil Giuliano told the Washington Blade in an interview last November his organization worked behind the scenes with journalists to focus their coverage of the scandal away from the former Congressman’s sexual orientation. He told the Blade his organization does not support outing. Signorile quickly dismissed this position.

“They articulate a very simplistic and often offensive response to the issue,” he said. “They know why this is relevant, why it should often be reported on and why it’s not wrong.”

Giuliano conceded the public remains interested in celebrities’ private lives. He further added that public figures whom come out increase understanding of LGBT people.

“When more people from all walks of life choose to live openly, the more accepting and understanding society will become toward LGBT Americans,” Giuliano said.

National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association President Eric Hegedus agreed. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughan and other high-profile couples and romances have dominated gossip columns. But Hegedus concluded the media, as a whole, fails to report on gay and lesbian celebrities in the same way it continues to report on the private lives of their heterosexual counterparts.

“The public certainly has an interest in who is LGBT,” he said. “But the news media still treats LGBT individuals differently by not attempting to approach the subject of their personal lives.”This question continues to pose difficult ethical questions for journalists. Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute said they should weigh whether a person’s sexual orientation is relevant to their story before they write about their personal life. But she noted Musto’s article for Out Magazine contains potentially damaging speculation that readers could conclude is true.

“In this case, you’re not dealing with fact—you’re dealing with innuendo and rumor,” McBride said. “That’s very dangerous because innuendo can become fact in public perception if we don’t give it the proper treatment.”

Musto said he will continue to report these issues. “The debate will always rage on,” he said. “I will always find a way to simply state to the public that many of our idols are gay and leading gay lives. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Rosie Leaves "The View"

Rosie O'Donnell's short but contentious tenure on "The View" came to an abrupt but perhaps expected end yesterday with her announcement she will leave the daytime talk show in June after she failed to secure a contract extension with ABC executives. Groups, such as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, lauded the outspoken co-host who made LGBT issues "front and center in America's living rooms."

O'Donnell certainly brought much needed visibility to same-sex families, marriage equality and other important issues with which many LGBT Americans are concerned into the living rooms of millions of viewers each morning. But the controversy she so often sparked alongside the visibility she created continues to distract viewers' attention away from these issues. The Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund and other advocacy organizations blasted O'Donnell after she repeatedly used a slur to mock so-called Asian speech during an interview with a drunk Danny Devito last December. The public feud between the Long Island native and Donald Trump dominated gossip columns earlier this year while open speculation about whether the network had grown tired of O'Donnell's public antics, such as comments Rupert Murdoch reportedly made after the Matrix Awards earlier this week in New York, will certainly continue.

These issues raise an important question that activists and organizations will obviously debate as O'Donnell's departure from "The View" draws near. O'Donnell has certainly used her celebrity to advance the causes in which she believes. But her bombastic approach, combined with her public antics, threaten to alienate the very audience with which she connected on "The View." O'Donnell gave Barbara Walters the renewed ratings she wanted for her one-time struggling talk show. But her on-air and off-camera conduct threaten to significantly tarnish the visibility she brought to mainstream America.

GLAAD Responds to Criticisms Over Media Awards Nomination Policies

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Neil Giuliano issued a statement on Friday to respond to criticisms over its long-standing policy of excluding LGBT media outlets from its annual Media Awards.

www.glaad.org/publications/resource_doc_detail.php?id=3993

Giuliano's statement explains GLAAD's reasoning behind the policy and he further discusses it with New York Times reporter Jeremy Peters [www.nytimes.com/2007/03/26/business/media/26glaad.html?_r=1&oref=slogin]. Giuliano, in particular, said GLAAD is "always open to having conversations with all the key stakeholders in the broader LGBT movement" in the context of this policy. Fine. But a leading LGBT organization cannot send an exclusionary message to the community of which its own mission statement claims to work on behalf if it hopes to maintain its credibility. This statement indicates GLAAD's leadership is clearly worried about how this controversy may affect its image and hopefully a meaningful change in its current policy will result.

LGBT Media Watchdog Organization Excludes LGBT Media from Annual Awards Ceremony

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has come under fire in recent days for its decision to exclude LGBT media from its annual Media Awards. This policy has been in place for some time but it has come to light after the gay and lesbian television network here! severed ties with the media watchdog organization earlier this week. The Los Angeles Daily News published a story on March 21 that detailed the decision [http://www.dailynews.com/business/ci_5491579] while Huffington Post contributor Gabriel Rotello [www.huffingtonpost.com/gabriel-rotello/the-glaad-media-awards-_b_44072.html] and others have weighed in on the controversy.

GLAAD President Neil Giuliano told here! in an undated correspondence the organization's Board of Directors determined the focus of the Media Awards should remain on mainstream media after Logo, another cable network geared towards the LGBT community, raised the same concern last year. Giuliano further said he thinks "we should work to create a way to recognize LGBT-focused media, and am hopeful someday we will do."

Here! Senior Vice President of Corporate and Marketing Communications Stephen Macias rejected this explanation in a letter to Giuliano and GLAAD's Board dated March 20. Macias
cites GLAAD's own mission statement [www.glaad.org/about/mission.php] and adds the Media Awards criteria are "completely at odds" with it. He also urges GLAAD to either change its mission statement or discontinue the "exclusion of gay media from submitting work for a GLAAD Media Award."

This controversy is not about whether here! is a viable medium or whether GLAAD is a viable organization but rather, it is about a long-standing policy that raises some very troubling questions. GLAAD's work remains vitally important and those within the organization continue to work tirelessly to promote fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of LGBT people in the media. GLAAD's policy to exclude LGBT media outlets from the Media Awards, however, sends a strong message of exclusion to the community of which it own mission statement claims to work on behalf. The LGBT community has gained significant visibility over the last decade and has, in many ways, found an outlet within so-called mainstream media on marriage equality, adoption and a host of other important social, political and economic issues. GLAAD can certainly take some credit for this reality. But to exclude its own community members from its own awards ceremony threatens to undermine much of that goodwill. This policy from an organization that is so concerned about it's own image is very troubling indeed.