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 Welcome to our bi-weekly communication about GLAAD’s programs and activities.

Special Event: Join us for Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone

On Sunday, GLAAD will host a livestream on YouTube and Facebook to raise money for LGBTQ centers throughout the nation that are part of CenterLink. The event titled Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone seeks to amplify the voices of LGBTQ people and offer support to those living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sarah Kate Ellis delivers State of GLAAD address to group of supporters

On April 16, GLAAD’s President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis provided an update to major donors, corporate sponsors and foundation partners regarding how the organization is moving forward during COVID-19. Sarah Kate highlighted three areas of focus: returning to watchdog mode, serving as inspiration for our community and turning our attention to Pride and the upcoming election. Sarah Kate detailed the sustained attacks on the LGBTQ community during the pandemic, including anti-trans bills passed in Idaho and ending the blood ban. She also discussed the upcoming Together In Pride live stream and how GLAAD will turn its attention to helping the most vulnerable in our community. But she also called on attendees to ensure the election doesn’t go unnoticed or put to the wayside during COVID-19 by demonstrating how important the LGBTQ vote is in our nation.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and GLAAD Board Chair Pamela Stewart recognized on Visible Lesbian 100 List for Lesbian Visitbilty Week

GLAAD spearheads open letter from more than 500 medical professionals to lift the discriminatory blood ban

On Thursday, GLAAD released an open letter penned by more than 500 medical professionals responding to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) revised recommendations on gay and bisexual men, and other LGBTQ people, from donating blood. The letter comes after the FDA loosened restrictions on the ban, making the deferral period 3 months instead of the previously held standard of 12 months. The medical professionals reinstate that the blood ban is not rooted in science but in discriminatory practices. The signees call on the FDA to use risk-based screening instead of implementing a deferral period. GLAAD launched a petition in March to end the blood ban completely after the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams pleaded for Americans to donate blood. To sign the petition, click here.

 Communities of Color 

GLAAD’s DaShawn Usher co-pens powerful op-ed that relives racist “Zoom bombing” incident and highlights the importance of ensuring safety for marginalized groups

On April 2, Netherwood Consulting Group held a virtual Zoom meeting called “Ring the Alarm: A National Virtual Meeting for Black Gay Men in Response to the COVID-19.” The meeting was hosted by Marvell L Terry II, and included various panelists, including DaShawn Usher, GLAAD’s Programs Officer for Communities of Color. Unfortunately, during the Zoom meeting, the attendees and panelists were interrupted several times by “Zoom bombers” who spewed hateful, racist, and homophobic slurs at those who were involved in the event. Despite the organizers’ best efforts, it was difficult to contain and track new “Zoom bombers," and there was no way to report these users after they had been removed. This week, Out Magazine published an op-ed from DaShawn Usher and Marvell L Terry II titled “This Is How Zoom Can Fight Homophobia and Racism For Users.” In the op-ed, Usher and Terry discuss how the attacks were not random but rather intentional, and call attention to the lack of protections on Zoom, especially for marginalized communities. Usher and Terry also provide several recommendations for how Zoom should improve these systems moving forward, especially as it has become a frequent platform for people to create community in these unprecedented times.

NEON x GLAAD partners with Queer Quarantine to present “Alone Together,” highlighting the perspectives of LGBTQ people of color during the COVID-19 pandemic

NEON, GLAAD’s digital content series aiming to amplify the voices of Black LGBTQ people, partnered with Queer Quarantin in its new project “Alone Together.” The group and initiative created by Myles E. Johnson highlights how LGBTQ people of color are coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and offers a sense of community in times of solitude. In the project, LGBTQ people of color answer questions that are one people’s minds during this time like “What has been a positive/beneficial habit that you’ve picked up since the quarantine?” and “What has this made you grateful for that maybe you’ve overlooked prior to this quarantine?” Check out the full video here, and more about the project on GLAAD’s Instagram. 

 Spanish Language and Latinx Media

GLAAD’s Monica Trasandes makes “The 41 List” of LGBTQ Latinx role models

GLAAD’s Director of Spanish-Language & Latinx Media and Representation Monica Trasandes was named part of “The 41 List” for LGBTQ Latinx role models. Honor 41, which compiled the list, promotes the awareness of LGBTQ Latinx people. Monica has been working at GLAAD since 2008 and has amplified the voices of Spanish-speaking LGBTQ people through interviews, teaching at colleges and training advocates to tell their story, like she did in Tijuana. Monica also accelerates acceptance by working with entertainment industry leaders to ensure LGBTQ Latinx representation in media is seen, fair and accurate. That work also includes getting more Spanish language media produced. To read more about Monica and her inclusion on The 41 List, click here.

Youth Engagement

GLAAD & Little Bee Books' children's title, Prince & Knight, named 5th most challenged book of the year according to American Library Association's annual list

Prince & Knight, one of GLAAD’s children’s books in partnership with Little Bee Books, was named the fifth most-challenged book, according to the American Library Association’s annual list. The book written by Daniel Haack and illustrated by Steve Lewis made its way onto the list for “featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content” and for being “‘a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children’ with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint.” Of the top 10 most-challenged, eight of them were because of reasons relating to LGBTQ content. The inclusion on the list underscores the need to make LGBTQ stories more visible in literature, especially in regards to children’s books.

Entertainment Media

Head of Talent Anthony Ramos chats with queer LEGO Masters builder Sam Hatmaker

You may recognize Sam Hatmaker from their appearance on the FOX show LEGO Masters. The queer, LEGO-building icon spoke with Head of Talent Anthony Ramos about growing up building, what their working on right now (a lot of Dolly Partons) and the importance of respecting people’s pronouns and visibility of non-binary people. “I honestly didn’t think about it as we made the show,” Sam said. “I wanted to show the world that storytelling and creativity are as important as technical ability. We all create to their own ability, and still tell stories with the bricks. Now that it is on TV, people contact me telling how I represented something to them.  It is a beautiful cycle of love and support, because they are all representations for me now too.” Click here to read the full interview.

Transgender Media and Representation

#TransLoveStories: Marli Washington and his wife, Adriana, talk about choosing each other every day

As part of GLAAD’s month-long content series #TransLoveStories, business owner Marli Washington and his wife, Adriana, sat down with GLAAD to share their love story with the world. The newlyweds talk about meeting at the gym, accepting who they are and their journey, as well as choosing each other every single day. #TransLoveStories was launched on Transgender Day of Visibility as a way to combat negative steroetypes within the trans community. In a world where transgender people are killed at an alarming rate, it’s important to show love an acceptance to those most vulnerable. To read more about #TransLoveStories, click here, and to see Marli and Adriana’s full story, click here.

That’s it for now. Keep up to date by following @GLAAD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. See you next time!