2008 — 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards
Nominees with COAD Representation

Film - Limited Release
Dirty Laundry
Codeblack Entertainment
Patrick, a successful magazine writer, returns to his small, Southern hometown after 10-year-old Gabriel turns up on the doorstep of his New York brownstone claiming to be his son. Returning to the small-town life he fought so hard to leave behind, Patrick struggles to maintain his new urban identity. But when his boyfriend flies down from New York to find out what's going on, Patrick's two worlds collide in a way that brings new complications, but also new possibilities. After Patrick discovers that Gabriel is, in fact, his son from a one-night stand he had nearly forgotten, he ultimately learns to reconcile the man he has become with the way he was raised, deciding to stay in the South to raise Gabriel with his partner.

Drama Series
Greek
ABC Family
Amidst the usual barrage of summer reality programming, Greek appeared and became the breakout hit of the season. Rusty Cartwright started his first year at Cyprus-Rhodes University and decided to rush a fraternity to leave behind his high school reputation as a geek. During rush week, Rusty strikes up a quick friendship with Calvin Owens. Over the course of the series, it's revealed that Calvin came out in high school, but then resented being labeled as "the Black, gay, hockey star," despite having a supportive family. Calvin resolved to take his time coming out in college, which created strife with his boyfriend, Heath. In a dramatic finale, Calvin was outed to his fraternity brothers and handled their rejection with class and maturity. Mixing humor with heavy drama, Greek never shied away from tackling the serious issues faced by many undergrads and offered a surprisingly poignant glimpse into the life of a gay fraternity pledge.

The L Word
Showtime
Showtime's veteran series about a group of lesbian friends in Los Angeles returned for a fourth season, and introduced a number of new faces and issues along the way. Bette and Tina continued to navigate the tricky waters of co-parenting despite their breakup, while Bette simultaneously began a relationship with a deaf artist. Alice, meanwhile, experienced the hardships of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" firsthand when she fell for a professionally closeted soldier named Tasha, who left at season's end after being redeployed to Iraq. After her absent father blew through town, Shane found herself unexpectedly saddled with the responsibility of raising her nine-year-old half-brother, and Max dealt with gradually revealing to co-workers and potential girlfriends that he is transgender. For another season, The L Word combined topical, original drama with the soapy indulgences that keep fans tuning in.

Individual Episode (in a series w/o a regular LGBT character)
"The Gangs of Camden County" My Name is Earl
NBC
Ironically, Earl Hickey's karmic quest to right the wrongs he's committed in life landed him in jail last year after he took the rap for one of his ex-wife's crimes. While in jail, the warden promised Earl an earlier release date if he could end the fighting between Hector and Jamal, the leaders of two warring prison gangs who had been tossed into solitary confinement together to work out their differences. In the course of his peacemaking, Earl discovered that Hector and Jamal had, in fact, fallen in love while locked up alone together and have only been fighting so they can be near each other. Jamal wants to be open about their love, but Hector is not ready to be out, which only escalates the fighting. Earl took it upon himself to play cupid and helped the two reconcile, even convincing the warden to let Hector and Jamal use his office once a month to "work out their differences"…alone…and in private.

Television Movie, Mini-Series or Anthology
The DL Chronicles
here!
This groundbreaking, four-part anthology series focuses on the lives of African American men living in the closet, the slang term for which is "the down low" or "the DL." Different characters with different stories are portrayed in every episode. We see stories about a man who asks his live-in partner to pretend to be a straight roommate in order to hide their relationship from a relative; a married man who must reconsider his life after a passionate night with his brother-in-law; a man who is not ready to come out to his adult daughter; and an HIV-positive, bisexual man who refuses to take responsibility for his behavior. More than just a portrayal of men living in the closet, these stories also illustrate how the difficulties of living a double life can cause people to eventually move toward a more authentic life.

Documentary
Camp Out
Logo
Camp Out follows ten openly gay, Christian Midwestern teenagers as they attend the first summer camp for gay Christian youth. For many of these kids, it had been a struggle to reconcile their sexual orientation with their religious beliefs, so the camp's goal is to help them find out how best to be true to themselves and their beliefs. The teens speak candidly and powerfully to the cameras as they explain why they refuse to turn their backs on the church despite the fact that so many members of the church have turned their backs on them.

Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison
WE tv
A brutal and important documentary, Cruel and Unusual: Transgender Women in Prison is an unflinching look at the plight of transgender women placed in all-male correctional facilities. Though they may have been living their lives as women for years, prisons decide where to place transgender inmates based not on their gender identity or even their gender expression, but solely on their genitalia. Since many poor transwomen cannot afford sex-reassignment surgery, they end up being placed with male prisoners. These women are often victims of sexual and physical violence, and must also deal with the consequences of being denied medical and psychological treatment. The film profiles several transwomen who have brought lawsuits against the prison system for subjecting them to truly cruel and unusual punishment.

Small Town Gay Bar
Logo
From executive producer Kevin Smith and director Malcolm Ingram, Small Town Gay Bar examines the people and history behind two small gay watering holes in rural Mississippi, far removed from any big city gay neighborhoods. For many residents, these bars provide the only places in which they are free to be open and themselves, not to mention solace from the often-bigoted atmosphere of the Deep South. The testimonies of bar clientele and staff show how there are still parts of this country in which gay and lesbian nightlife isn't merely a night out, it's a lifeline.

Talk Show Episode
"Gay Around the World" The Oprah Winfrey Show
syndicated
While the LGBT community is making strides in many parts of the world, Oprah examines the parts of the world where being openly gay could get one killed. She begins by citing staggering statistics about the dangers gay people face in Nigeria and Iran. Her first guest is Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India, who came out in a 2006 newspaper interview. Despite the outcry from his family and countrymen, Prince Manvendra says he has no regrets and is a happier man for coming out. Oprah then speaks to acclaimed playwright and out lesbian Staceyann Chin, who fled her native Jamaica because of the hostile climate towards LGBT people. Finally, Oprah sits down with John Amaechi, who in early 2007 became the first former NBA player to come out.

"Gay Athletes & Rappers: It's Not In to be Out" The Tyra Banks Show
syndicated
In this episode covering a range of gay issues, Tyra first sits down with John Amaechi and Esera Tuaolo to discuss what is was like to be a closeted athlete in the NBA and NFL, respectively. Tyra then discusses the struggle and the danger of being out in the hip-hop world with gay rappers Deadlee and Tori Fixx and transgender rapper Foxjazell. The discussion got heated when Ajaxx, a rapper who is opposed to "homo hop" squared off with Deadlee. Finally, Tyra talks to the president of ex-gay group Love-in-Action and two men who claim to have successfully "recovered from the homosexual lifestyle." To counter this view, she then interviews two men who say their stints in ex-gay therapy resulted in more harm than good, and now live as out and proud gay men.

"Growing Up Intersex" The Oprah Winfrey Show
syndicated
Last June, Oprah selected the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Middlesex, about an intersex person, for Oprah's Book Club. When she returned from her summer hiatus, she devoted one of her first shows to the topic of people who are born intersex. The panel of intersex people clarified common misconceptions held about people born with ambiguous genitalia or chromosomes, and Oprah explained that the commonly used term "hermaphrodite" is, in fact, derogatory. Later she had author Jeffrey Eugenides on to share his inspiration for Middlesex.

TV Journalism – Newsmagazine
Born in the Wrong Body
MSNBC
Deasja is a 25-year-old transgender woman who has found a second family in a subculture of gay and transgender communities known as the "ballroom scene." Her story, along with the stories of other transgender teenagers, is explored in-depth in the eye-opening “Born in the Wrong Body.”  MSNBC gives its audience an intimate and deeply personal glimpse into the lives of several transgender youth as they struggle with issues of identity, coming out, rejection, and transitioning both mentally and physically.  Following these young men and women through their interactions with parents, friends, doctors, and fellow transgender people, this piece demonstrates the incredibly difficult but ultimately rewarding journey that transgender teens take to become on the outside who they have always known they are inside.

TV Journalism – News Segment
"Gay Homeless Teens" Uncovering America
CNN
According to a study by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, up to 40 percent of homeless teenagers are LGBT, having been run out of their own homes after coming out or being discovered. Reporting for CNN's Uncovering America, Ted Rowlands highlights two such teenagers, Tony and Brittany, each of whom was rejected by their parents after identifying as gay or lesbian. Though Brittany was sometimes lucky enough to stay with friends, Tony was forced to turn to sex work in order to survive. Director Carl Siciliano of the Ali Forney Center tells Rowlands that the situations of these teenagers are tragically all too common, and questions how parents can throw out children as if they were "garbage."

"Gospel of Inclusion" Uncovering America
CNN
Bishop Carlton Pearson was once a high-profile figure on the evangelical preaching circuit, a position that helped him establish professional relationships with people like Jim Bakker and both Bush Presidents. Like so many of his peers, Pearson denounced homosexuality as sin to be "fixed" – that is, until he experienced a profound change of heart following the revelation that his best friend was gay. Pearson soon began to preach openly about tolerance and inclusion. That was enough to ruin his professional ministerial career, leading to the loss of his 5,000 member "megachurch" and the speaking engagements that had been his bread and butter. Regardless, Pearson continues to deliver sermons of acceptance to a growing number of parishioners who feel rejected by other religious institutions. Uncovering America profiles a man who rejected conservative religious hypocrisy and has become a new hero to many.

"Sex Change Controversy" Paula Zahn Now
CNN
Former Largo, Florida city manager Susan Stanton made national headlines last year, when she was terminated from her job after revealing she was planning to transition from male to female. Following a segment in which Stanton discusses years of hiding her true feelings with reporter Carol Costello, Paula Zahn discusses Stanton's situation with several pundits, including LGBT activist and regular MPaula Zahn Now contributor Keith Boykin. Though the panelists don't quite agree on every aspect of the situation, even the most conservative of the three agrees that Stanton should not lose her job because she is transgender. While unfortunately Stanton was ultimately fired, this segment's treatment of the story draws distinct attention to the need for legislation protecting the LGBT community from employment discrimination.

Newspaper Article
"In a Progressive State, a City Where Gay Life Hangs by a Thread" by Andrew Jacobs
The New York Times
Though it's only a short drive from one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, the city of Newark, New Jersey is by no means a hospitable place to live for its LGBT residents. Writer Andrew Jacobs uncovers an impoverished city nearly devoid of support systems for LGBT people, who report routine harassment and violence from their communities, being shunned by religious institutions, and a shocking lack of help from local law enforcement. In this article for The New York Times, Jacobs illuminates that even in a state touted for being one of the few to legalize civil unions, homophobia is by no means a thing of the past, particularly in communities which are often the most at risk.

Magazine Article
"(Rethinking) Gender" by Debra Rosenberg
Newsweek
Transgender issues have seen an increase in media attention in recent years, as is reflected by this Newsweek cover story, which delves into the experiences of transgender people, and the contemporary opinions and research around them. Interviews with notable transgender people such as Susan Stanton and Renee Richards shed light on the diversity of transgender lives and the outlooks and philosophies that distinguish them, while the thoughts and newest findings offered up by a bevy of experts demonstrates that the nature versus nurture debate about gender rages on. More importantly though, Debra Rosenberg's article highlights the intolerance that transgender people still face, even as cultural attitudes begin to shift in their favor.

"Special Report: Gays at War " by Marc Haeringer, William Henderson, Michael Rowe, Corey Scholibo, and Bernice Yeung
The Advocate
The Advocate re-examined "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" with this in-depth series of articles. In his story about retired marine Eric Alva, Michael Rowe profiled the man who has been both a symbol American military pride for the Bush administration (as the Iraq war's first casualty), and as an HRC spokesman fighting for the right of LGBT service members to serve openly. In another article in the series, Marc Haeringer talked with some active-duty soldiers who have found that coming out to colleagues is often a non-issue as long as higher-ups don't find out, while Bernice Yeung spoke with one soldier's same-sex partner experiencing the hardship of being denied the benefits and protections given to straight spouses. Combined, with other excellent pieces by Henderson and Scholibo, this series provides a damning critique of the Pentagon's treatment of LGBT servicemembers.

Digital Journalism Article
"Gender and the Pulpit" by Lauren McCauley
Newsweek.com
When it was discovered in 1996 that Presbyterian minister Eric Swenson was undergoing sex-reassignment surgery to become Erin, the Southern Presbyterian Church of Atlanta unsurprisingly began motions to revoke Swenson's ordination. Yet when the final votes were tallied, Swenson was able to keep her post within the church, making her the first Protestant minister to transition from male to female while still in office. While much discrimination yet remains, Lauren McCauley reports that many transgender religious activists are making inroads in their respective denominations, effectively arguing that the opportunity to live in the world as both sexes is a blessing and a gift, not a "mental pathology."

"Officially 'I Do'" by Tracy Stokes
BET.com
After four years of struggling to earn legal status as a couple, Alicia Heath-Toby and Saundra Toby-Heath finally received their civil union license in April 2007. Unfortunately, this achievement is still only one of many steps that need to be taken before full equality for gay couples can be attained. This informative and engaging article by Tracy Stokes puts faces and names on the fight for marriage equality, highlighting the fact that Alicia and Saundra are just one example of the countless gay and lesbian couples in New Jersey who have worked, and are still working, to legalize their unions and receive the same rights and status as heterosexual couples.

Music Artist
Bloc Party, A Weekend in the City
In 2005, up-and-coming British band Bloc Party blew away critics and album sales charts with their debut record and found success that many of their peers could only dream about. When lead singer Kele Okereke came out of the closet just prior to the release of the band's highly anticipated second album, A Weekend in the City, he completely bucked typical expectations that such a move could harm a band's popularity. Okerek felt that it was necessary to come out, given that Weekend is lyrically influenced by topics such as homophobia and gay promiscuity, not to mention a love affair between two schoolboys (portrayed in the album's first U.S. single, "I Still Remember"). With driving guitars, electronic flourishes, and surprisingly poignant songwriting, Bloc Party's sophomore effort continues to enthrall their millions of fans worldwide that consider Okereke's sexual orientation a non-issue.

Comic Book
The Outsiders by Judd Winick, Greg Rucka, and Tony Bedard (DC Comics)
The Outsiders is a team of superheroes who just do not fit into more mainstream teams like the Justice League, and teammates Anissa Pierce and Grace Choi are lovers. Anissa's father, also a superhero, was unjustly convicted of killing a man in battle and imprisoned. Anissa is distraught and asks Grace if she will help free her father. Sharing her feelings about her father brings them close together, and they become lovers. Grace asks Anissa, "When did you notice me?" Anissa replies, "It was like snowfall. Slow and incremental. Bit by bit." Later, Batman becomes the new leader of The Outsiders, and he removes Anissa from the team. He explains to Grace that the Outsiders are going to create a reputation as outlaws and he thought Grace wouldn't mind if Anissa was spared that stigma, but Grace rebels and includes Anissa in missions anyway.

New York Theater – Broadway & Off–Broadway
Some Men by Terrence McNally
Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally examines gay life over the course of eight decades in Some Men, a series of witty sketches that are tied together by the theme of same-sex marriage. In visiting a Harlem nightclub in 1932, Greenwich Village in 1969 on the first night of the Stonewall riots, and an AIDS ward waiting room in 1989, among other significant New York locales over the years, McNally offers insightful commentary on the desire many gay men feel to form lasting partnerships.