GLAAD works closely with media professionals to educate them about the diversity of the glbtq community and to provide them accurate information. It also trains community activists to work effectively with the media. Perhaps most importantly, it monitors incidents of defamation in the media and works to redress biased representations.

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Over the past two decades, the organization has met with numerous successes in its struggle to ensure that America's movies, television programs, newspapers, and radio broadcasts provide inclusive, fair, and honest portrayals of glbtq people.

History

GLAAD was formed in New York to protest the sensationalized and defamatory New York Post coverage of the emerging AIDS epidemic. The Post problem underlined the general lack of queer representation in the media--and the stereotypes illustrated on the rare occasions when gays were made visible.

Shortly after commencing its initial efforts on the East Coast, GLAAD began working in Los Angeles to educate the entertainment industry about depicting gays and lesbians in films and television.

The organization went on to establish chapters in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. before becoming a national organization in 1995. Currently GLAAD's offices operate in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Early Successes

GLAAD broke major ground during the first few years of its existence. In 1986, it launched a weekly Los Angeles-based radio broadcast, Naming Names, which became available to 600 public radio stations throughout the United States.

The following year, after negotiations with GLAAD, the New York Times changed its editorial policy to mandate using the term "gay" rather than "homosexual" in its pages.

In June of 1989, 20 years after the Stonewall rebellion, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative Stonewall cancellation at the request of GLAAD.

In 1992, Entertainment Weekly named GLAAD one of "Hollywood's 100 Most Powerful Entities."

Coalition Building

GLAAD has been involved with numerous coalitions, such as local and national groups committed to lifting the ban on gay and lesbian military service members, the National Freedom to Marry coalition, and the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs.

In addition, the organization has actively supported hate-crime legislation, and brought attention to the hate-motivated murders of Matthew Shepard, Brandon Teena, Arthur Warren, and others.

Perhaps most successfully, GLAAD has spearheaded protests against the anti-gay rhetoric and misinformation promulgated by such media figures as Dr. Laura Schlessinger and politicians such as Senators Trent Lott and Rick Santorum.

Annual Media Awards

Through its Annual Media Awards, GLAAD brings special recognition to gay-friendly media and entertainment industry outlets. Past honorees have included Rosie O'Donnell, Elton John, Ellen DeGeneres, Diane Sawyer, Todd Haynes, and Eric McCormack. Such films as Boys Don't Cry (1999), Being John Malkovich (1999), and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) have also received awards, as have television series, plays, and videos.

Current Projects

Currently under the leadership of executive director Joan Garry, GLAAD serves local communities and media outlets throughout America via its Regional Media Program.

The organization has recently focused on publicizing the queer heroes and victims of 9/11/01; countering attempts of Roman Catholic Church officials to blame its sex-abuse crisis on innocent gay priests; and, in the Announcing Equality campaign, persuading newspapers throughout the nation to include same-sex wedding and union announcements.

GLAAD seeks to bring further awareness of traditionally underrepresented and bisexual people to the public, and to expand visibility of the full spectrum of the glbtq community in the future.

American television has made significant strides in its portrayal of homosexuals in dramatic series and movies, but cable networks have been more daring than the "big three" broadcast networks.

Although glbtq people and issues have been inadequately covered by American television news, there have recently been signs of improvement.

American television sitcoms have consistently reflected the presence of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people, often in distorted and stereotyped ways, but occasionally in ways that acknowledge our humanity and complexity.

For glbt people, television talk shows are both promising and problematic; they have brought glbt issues to public awareness, but they have also presented glbt people as stereotypes and freaks.

Boycotts, the refusal to patronize companies or institutions, have in recent decades been organized by glbtq rights advocates to protest discriminatory practices and policies.

Vermont's Civil Union law confers all the rights, benefits, and responsibilities of marriage on same-sex couples.

Violence perpetrated against people thought by their attackers to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered occurs with disturbing frequency in the United States and other countries.

Hate Crimes are crimes towards persons or groups motivated by the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Lesbian and gay couples have been fighting for the freedom to marry since the dawn of the modern glbtq struggle for equality; despite some success abroad, progress toward same-sex marriage in the United States has been slow.

American activist and politician Roberta Achtenberg is the first openly gay person to be confirmed by the United States Senate for a major political post.

Award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer Alan Ball, whose work frequently features glbtq characters, has had great success in both film and television.

Former baseball player and current television personality, Billy Bean was closeted throughout his major league career but has since become a proud advocate for glbtq rights.

Korean-American bisexual actress turned stand-up comedian Margaret Cho has become one of the most prominent Asian Americans in show business and in glbtq culture.

No matter how great her contribution to the world of comedy, Ellen DeGeneres will probably be best remembered as the first lesbian to star as a lesbian on her own network television show.

Since his 1991 film Poison won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival, innovative filmmaker Todd Haynes has emerged as the leading figure of the New Queer Cinema.

Pop superstar Elton John's combination of melodic skills, dynamic charisma, and raucous performance style have make him a remarkably popular musical artist.

Comedian, actress, television talk show host, and openly gay mom, Rosie O'Donnell has achieved remarkable success in her relatively short career.

Matthew Shepard led an unremarkable life, but his shocking death transformed him into an icon of the glbtq movement for equality.

The confrontations between police and demonstrators at the Stonewall Inn in New York City the weekend of June 27-29, 1969 mark the beginning of the modern glbtq movement for equal rights.

Twenty-year-old Brandon Teena was brutally murdered on December 31, 1993 on account of gender non-conformity.

Asian-American actor B. D. Wong came to prominence with his extraordinary performance in M. Butterfly and has since established himself as a talented character actor in film and television and as a champion of glbtq causes.

Prolific film, television, and stage producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have created a diverse body of work, including a number of theatrical films and television features with glbtq themes.