PART 1: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). We are very happy that you have decided to become an integral part of our Monitor & Mobilize effort and hope that together we can make a difference in your community. This training manual is a guideline for your work. If you have questions after reading this, or at anytime while you are working with us, please contact your Regional Media Manager (RMM), whose information is at the end of this manual.

ABOUT US

Imagine a time when the words "gay" and "lesbian" were taboo in the media - a time when your newspaper had blatantly homophobic stories on the front page and the entertainment industry didn't give a second thought to only negatively portraying lesbians and gays on television or in motion pictures - a time when lesbians and gays were otherwise invisible in the media. These examples and many others prompted the formation of GLAAD.

Founded in New York in 1985 to protest The New York Post's blatantly offensive and sensationalized stories about AIDS, and gay men, GLAAD continues to have a major impact on the media. Not only has GLAAD changed the way that gays and lesbians are portrayed on screen and in the news, we have also become a major resource for decision makers in both entertainment and news media. Our reach is not only to industry insiders but to millions of others through newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, television shows and visibility campaigns as well.

OUR MISSION