The following English-language categories are approved by GLAAD's Board of Directors. Adding, deleting or sub-dividing Categories must be approved by the Board. Spanish-language categories can be found here.

Film - Wide Release

Film must be released by a recognized film distribution company, and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. "Wide Release" will be defined by a combination of number of screens played, budget, and visibility. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director, writer, and/or actors may accept.

Film - Limited Release

Film must be released by a recognized film distribution company, and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. "Limited Release" will be defined by a combination of number of screens played, budget, and visibility. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director, writer, and/or actors may accept.

Documentary

Documentaries must either be televised in more than one local market, or be released theatrically. If released theatrically, film must be released by a recognized distribution company, and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. ("Pay for play" screenings are not eligible.) Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director and/or person(s) featured in the film may accept.

Comedy Series

Given to a comedy series which has a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character in a lead, supporting or recurring role. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Drama Series

Given to a drama series which has a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character in a lead, supporting or recurring role. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular gay character)

Recognizes one episode or story arc which had outstanding LGBT content in a comedy or drama series which does not regularly include a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender character. Receives Award: Award is given to the episode. Producer, director, writer and/or actors may accept.

Television Movie

Given to a made for television film or mini-series, or a film acquired by a television network which debuts on that network. If the film plays theatrically at a later date, it is not eligible in the Film category. Receives Award: Award is given to the film. Producer, director, writer and/or actors may accept.

Reality Program

Given to a program that depicts actual people and/or events, and meets at least two of the following requirements:

1. The program's premise, circumstances or situations are manipulated for the purpose of creating the program.
2. The program uses contrived, manipulated or staged elements, including re-enactments, or highly stylized production or editorial devices.
3. Participants are selected through a casting process.

   Award is given for content throughout the entire series. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer and/or participants may accept.

Talk Show

Recognizes one episode of a daytime, primetime or late night talk show which featured an outstanding discussion of LGBT issues. Multiple episodes of the same show may be nominated. A show must not have had any offensive episodes throughout the rest of the year. Receives Award: Award is given to the episode. Producer, host and/or person(s) featured on the show may accept.

Daily Drama

Given to a series which airs daily during daytime, primetime, or late-night hours. The series must feature a lead, supporting or recurring character. Award is given for content throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the show. Producer, writers and/or actors may accept.

Television Journalism

Recognizes a variety of different types of journalism, including but not limited to: newsmagazine segment, nightly news story, one-hour journalism feature (i.e., Frontline), morning show story, cable news program, late night broadcasts (i.e., Nightline). Multiple episodes/segments of the same show may be nominated. Receives Award: Award is given to the segment or entire show (if it's a stand-alone feature program.) Producer, journalist and/or persons featured in the story may accept.

Newspaper Overall Coverage

Given to a daily or non-daily newspaper for the quantity and quality of its coverage throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the newspaper. Publisher, news editor and/or prominent journalist may accept.

Newspaper Article

Given to an individual article or series of articles in a daily or non-daily newspaper. More than one article from an individual newspaper may be nominated. An article may be nominated even if the newspaper itself is also nominated for Overall Coverage. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist and/or news editor may accept.

Newspaper Columnist

Columnists will be nominated based on their two strongest columns throughout the year. (A columnist must have a minimum of two excellent columns to be nominated.) The two columns will be used as the basis of comparison by voters. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the columnist. Columnist may accept.

Magazine Overall Coverage

Given to a magazine for the quantity and quality of its coverage throughout the entire year. Receives Award: Award is given to the magazine. Publisher, editor and/or prominent journalist may accept.

Magazine Article

Given to an individual article or series of articles in a magazine. More than one article from an individual magazine may be nominated. An article may be nominated even if the magazine itself is also nominated for Overall Coverage. Editorials are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist and/or editor may accept.

Digital Journalism - Article

Given to an article or series of articles which are exclusive to an online news site. Receives Award: Award is given to the article. Journalist may accept.

Music Artist

Given to an openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender music artist who released a full-length or EP length CD during the current eligibility period. The CD must be sold in major music retail stores. The artist may be nominated even if there are no lyrics explicitly about gay issues. Media interviews, public statements and other information may be considered when selecting nominees and winners. Receives Award: Award is given to the artist. Artist may accept.

Comic Book

Given to a comic book published by the four mainstream publishers and their subsidiary labels: Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Marvel Comics. At GLAAD's discretion, a comic book from another publisher may be nominated if the book achieves a level of visibility and impact comparable to that of a book published by one of the mainstream publishers. A comic book may be nominated for an individual issue, a story arc or a recurring LGBT character. Receives Award: Award is given to the comic book. Writer, artist, editor and/or publisher may accept.

Advertising - Electronic

Given to a television, radio or digital advertisement which features gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the ad or addresses LGBT issues. Local ads and promo spots may be considered. Public Service Announcements are not eligible in this category. Receives Award: Award is given to the advertisement. Corporate representative and/or person(s) featured in the ad may accept.

Advertising - Print

Given to a print advertisement appearing in a mainstream media outlet which features gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the ad or addresses LGBT issues. Because of the niche-market nature of the advertising industry, ads in LGBT-specific media outlets may be considered if they are particularly noteworthy or groundbreaking. Receives Award: Award is given to the advertisement. Corporate representative and/or person(s) featured in the ad may accept.

New York Theater - Broadway & Off Broadway
New York Theater - Off Off Broadway
Los Angeles Theater

The theater award is by its very nature a local award. Therefore, each city must have its own nominee selection committee. Following are guidelines for all theater committees:

Plays nominated in other cities - Each city may nominate plays which have already received a GLAAD nomination in other cities.

Multiple Nominations - A play may not be nominated in the same city two years in a row. If a play is revived two years after it's nomination, it may be re-nominated.

Multiple Awards - Once a play has won a GLAAD Media Award in a given city, it may not be nominated again in that city.

Revivals - Revivals may be considered within the limits described above. However, the committee must consider whether the revival brings anything new to the production. Is there anything bold and original about this revival?

One Person shows - Committees may consider one-person shows for nomination.

Performance Art - Committees may consider performance art pieces for nomination.

Readings, improvisational shows, and one-night only performances are not eligible for nomination.

Receives Award: Award is given to the play. Writer, director and/or actors may accept.