2007 — 18th Annual GLAAD Media Awards
Nominees with COAD Representation

Outstanding Film - Wide Release
Running With Scissors
TriStar Pictures
Augusten Burroughs' best-selling memoir is adapted for the screen in this film by director Ryan Murphy. Set in the 1970s, the film tells the story of teenage Augusten, the son of an emotionally absent father and a mentally unstable mother. When his parents divorce, his mother, Deirdre, spirals further into psychosis and leaves Augusten with her equally insane therapist, Dr. Finch, and his family. It's a non-event when Augusten comes out to Dr. Finch's daughter, Natalie, who then sets him up on a date with her adoptive brother, Neil. Given that Neil is twice Augusten's age (and mentally ill), a good mother would have put her foot down, but Deirdre is busy with two lesbian relationships of her own, including one with Dorothy. Eventually, the chaos around Augusten gets to be too much, so he escapes to New York with the intention of becoming a writer.

Individual Episode (in a series without a regular gay character)
"Single Stamina" How I Met Your Mother
CBS
Barney Stinson is a fervent bachelor who has sex on his mind at all times on the popular sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” When his gay, African American brother, James, comes to visit, Barney is excited to go out on the town and pick up ladies (for himself) and gentlemen (for James). Unfortunately for Barney, James has a bombshell to drop: He's in love and getting married to his boyfriend. Barney is devastated, not because he disapproves of gay marriage, but because he's against marriage of all kinds, period. After refusing to be James' best man, Barney throws man after man at James, hoping to dissuade him. Barney finally accepts the marriage when he learns that James and his partner plan to adopt a baby. Barney melts at the idea of becoming an uncle and, in a flash-forward to the wedding, Barney gives his baby nephew a talk, prepping him to be his new wingman. Instead of James simply being the gay version of Barney, "Single Stamina" displays considerable heart in showing James' desire to start a family with the man he loves.

Outstanding Reality Program
Big Brother: All-Stars
CBS
CBS's summer reality hit returned by bringing back 14 of the most memorable houseguests from the previous six editions. Marcellas Reynolds from Big Brother 3 was selected to return to the Big Brother house and instantly became enamored with fan favorite Kaysar Ridha. Marcellas openly swooned over Kaysar and was devastated when he was forced to vote out his crush in week five. The following week, Marcellas was voted out despite having his safety assured to him by the Head of Household, Janelle, with whom he had an alliance. However, after his eviction, Marcellas remained a presence on the show every week as the first member of the jury sent into seclusion at the jury house. Marcellas is not only an openly gay, African American man, but a smart, shrewd player who doesn't downplay his sexual orientation with his housemates or the viewers.

Outstanding Daily Drama
Passions
NBC
After becoming estranged from her girlfriend, Rae, Simone was devastated. The relationship ended after Simone professed her love to Rae, which proved to be too much, too soon. In addition, Simone's father was incredibly homophobic and rejected Simone completely. This past year, Simone and Rae rekindled their romance and became active in feeding the homeless at a local Catholic Church. Rae was surprised that the church's priest was so welcoming of a lesbian couple. Additionally, Simone patched up her relationship with her father, who asked for her forgiveness for being so cold. As an openly gay African American character on a daily drama, Simone's presence brings an additional dimension to the portrayal of our lives in daytime.

Outstanding Talk Show Episode
"Hate Crimes"The Tyra Banks Show
syndicated
Among the more notable and tragic stories of the past year was the brutal attack on New York nightlife icon Kevin Aviance by a group of rage-filled and homophobic young men. Kevin recounts the story of the hate crime to host and friend Tyra Banks, even tearfully returning to the location of the attack. Tyra uses his story as a springboard to explore the origins of such virulent homophobia and engages in a heated debate with Westboro Bapist Church matriarch Shirley Phelps and her two daughters, both of whom have been taught to hate gay people from an early age. Kevin's triumphant performance at the end of the show only underscored the message that gay people will not be oppressed by religious hatred.

Outstanding TV Journalism - Newsmagazine
"Under the Rainbow" NOW
PBS
Fighting for more than equal marriage rights, the gay families of Florida are still struggling against an outright ban on all adoption by gay people set in place by the infamous anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant in 1977. In this tempered and emotionally engaging segment narrated by host David Brancaccio for NOW, a conservative leader's arguments supporting the ban look all the more flimsy and discriminatory in contrast to the loving parents battling to become the legal guardians of foster children who have been in their care for years. Foster children's legal advocate John Walsh further emphasizes how the dire need of many children unable to find permanent homes makes the ban's removal all the more necessary.

Outstanding TV Journalism - News Segment
"The Equality Ride" MTV News: The Amazing Break
MTV
MTV news host Gideon Yago narrates this look at a group of young people who decided to forgo the standard partying and debauchery and spend their spring break combating the discriminatory policies of religious and military schools across the country. Twenty-four-year-old Jacob Reitan led The Equality Ride, a mobile protest and activist group who embarked on a 51-day tour of college campuses to get their message heard. MTV's cameras follow the group as they face arrest for trespassing on Jerry Falwell's Liberty University and document their commitment to using civil disobedience as necessary to make their voices heard on intolerant college campuses.

Outstanding Magazine Article
"I am Woman" by D. Cookie Fields as told to Michelle Burford
Essence
Cookie Fields told her story of coming out as transgender to Michelle Burford in this touching testimonial printed in Essence magazine. Having joined the Marines in an attempt to cover her true feelings, Fields found that her desire to live as a woman remained persistent, eventually leading to the end of her marriage and her decision in 2001 to proceed with sex reassignment surgery. Five years later, she counts her faith and the support of her family among the blessings that help her further appreciate her decision to become the person she always knew herself to be.

"Queer Inc." by Marc Gunther
Fortune
While the political battleground for LGBT rights has become more tumultuous in recent years, corporate America has long shown itself to be more than a few steps ahead of the rest of the country, with over half of Fortune 500 companies now offering domestic partner benefits to their employees, and even traditionally conservative corporations like Wal-Mart making headway towards gay-friendly policies. Marc Gunther traces these trends in an intelligent, well-crafted article for Fortune magazine, which looks back on two decades of progressive development for LGBT employees in the corporate workplace.

"The Out Crowd" by Jason Newman
Urb
http://www.urb.com/online/features/homohop.php
In an article for Urb magazine about the artists featured in the recent documentary Pick Up the Mic, Jason Newman explores the world of "homohop," a music scene comprised of openly gay hip-hop emcees that's gradually gaining exposure. In interviews with up-and-comers, as well as more established acts such as Dutchboy and Deep Dickollective, Newman draws a fascinating portrait of a sub-culture making its mark on both the LGBT and hip-hop communities – both of which better get ready to be impressed.

Outstanding Digital Journalism Article
"BV Q&A with Julian Bond: Why this Civil Rights Icon Embraces Gay Rights" by Angela Bronner
BlackVoices.aol.com
http://blackvoices.aol.com/black_news/canvas_directory_headlines_features/_a/bv-qanda-with-julian-bond/20060908115409990002
After serving nearly 20 years as chairman of the NAACP, Julian Bond has publicly embraced the need for LGBT civil rights. In a brief but effective interview with Angela Bronner for AOL's Black Voices, Bond discusses his pro-same-sex marriage stance, homophobia bred from religious conservatism within the black community, and how his position on this issue led him to refrain from attending the funeral of his longtime friend Coretta Scott King because of its location in a notoriously homophobic church. Bond's efforts speak to the important and necessary role of allies in the fight for full LGBT equality.

"Is Fear the Best Way to Fight AIDS?" by Kai Wright
TheNation.com
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060123/wright
Activist icon Larry Kramer's order for young gay men to "grow up and behave responsibly" echoed the sentiments of many AIDS prevention workers who see the increasing rates of HIV infection among this demographic as a chilling indicator that another generation is at grave risk for tragedy. In this article for TheNation.com, writer Kai Wright takes a complex look at the growing trend of unprotected sex among gay and bisexual men, creating an intriguing model built on statistics, physiology and deeply rooted social symbolism. Wright's nuanced look at health advocates torn between fear-based and sex-positive prevention efforts, a government long wary of funding gay-focused prevention programs and a generation of young gay men seeking sex lives undefined by fear navigates a tricky situation that may worsen before it improves.

Outstanding Digital Journalism—Multimedia
"Being a Gay Black Man" by Ben de la Cruz, Pierre Kattar, and Sholnn Z. Freeman
WashingtonPost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/interactives/blackmen/blackmen.html
After serving nearly 20 years as chairman of the NAACP, Julian Bond has publicly embraced the need for LGBT civil rights. In a brief but effective interview with Angela Bronner for AOL's Black Voices, Bond discusses his pro-same-sex marriage stance, homophobia bred from religious conservatism within the black community, and how his position on this issue led him to refrain from attending the funeral of his longtime friend Coretta Scott King because of its location in a notoriously homophobic church. Bond's efforts speak to the important and necessary role of allies in the fight for full LGBT equality.

Outstanding Advertising - Electronic
"Bad Weather" Orbitz
Continuing the game show theme of "Take on Orbitz," this spot features an interracial lesbian couple and a straight couple at an airport counter learning their flights have just been cancelled due to bad weather. As the airport transitions into a game show stage, host Wink Martindale challenges them to book a hotel before the other passengers. While the straight couple fiddles with a phone book, the savvy lesbians successfully book a room using the web browser on their cell phone and celebrate their victory with a kiss. While the sight of a lesbian couple outsmarting a straight couple will certainly appeal to some, the decision to show the women's physical affection for each other makes it clear that Orbitz wants to present itself as a company that celebrates LGBT relationships.

"Gangster of Love" Axe Clix
While going about his daily life, pop star Nick Lachey keeps a click counter to tally up the number of women giving him the once over in this humorous spot for Axe Clix body spray. Also among his admirers is a male shop clerk, whose attention briefly causes Lachey to pause before cocking his head in acceptance and adding the man to the tally. Though this brief scene is played for comedic effect, it also signifies that Lachey not only has no problem with being the object of another man's desire, but in this context also places the same value on it as the desires of the women.

"Living Room" IKEA
An assortment of rhetorical questions is narrated over shots of varied and boisterous families occupying well-furnished living rooms in this ad for IKEA. The closing question of "Why shouldn't sofas come in flavors…" is finished by a young girl's voice that adds "…just like families," as we are left with a closing image of an interracial gay couple relaxing on the floor with their daughter and dog. Not only does this image project affirming warmth in its simplicity, but its placement at the ad's end ensures it will linger in the mind of the viewer over the others, giving the impression that IKEA specifically seeks to make the point that it celebrates LGBT families as well.

Outstanding Advertising - Print
"Gay by God" Rehoboth Temple Christ Conscious Church
To announce the creation of the Rehoboth Temple Christ Conscious Church in Harlem, openly gay Elder Joseph W. Tolton ran a full-page ad in The Amsterdam News, a New York newspaper targeting the African American community. "Gay By God" is the boldfaced headline of what is in effect an open letter of introduction to the community at large that also directly addresses the reasons he feels "homophobia [is] so deeply entrenched in the Black Church." Demonstrating a complex understanding of the social and cultural forces behind intolerance while also presenting a welcoming and celebratory tone, this ad should be commended for initiating discussion while trying to draw in a congregation.

Outstanding Los Angeles Theater
Bluebonnet Court by Zsa Zsa Gershick
In the middle of World War II, Helen, a Jewish lesbian newspaper reporter, drives across the country for a coveted spot as an MGM contract writer in Hollywood. On the way, she has a car accident near the Bluebonnet Court, a motel in Austin, Texas. The sudden romance between Helen and Orla Mae, an African American motor-court cleaning woman, vividly brings to life a time in America's past when segregation and anti-Semitism were commonplace, and there was still a love that dared not speak its name.