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

GLAAD announced that its 31st Annual Media Awards will go virtual on July 30. Read below to find out who will make special appearances and how you can watch. In News and Rapid Response, GLAAD continues to monitor the firing of LGBTQ teachers despite the recent Supreme Court ruling. GLAAD led a panel and helped organizers for Global Black Gay Pride, and we continue to respond to harmful anti-transgender statements from J.K. Rowling.

Read on to learn more about GLAAD’s work.

31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards

Virtual 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards to feature special guests Dolly Parton, Lil Nas X, Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union, the cast and producers of Pose, and many more

Click here to register for the event.

GLAAD announced last week that its 31st annual Media Awards will go virtual on July 30. The Media Awards in New York and Los Angeles were scheduled for earlier this year, but were canceled due to the novel coronavirus. “Among this year’s nominees are a wide range of stories and narratives about LGBTQ people of different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and other identities that demonstrate the power of inclusion and diversity in fostering positive cultural change,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As this year’s Media Awards go virtual, we hope to send a powerful message to LGBTQ people that in the midst of this culturally and politically divisive time, our visibility and voices have never been more important.”

The GLAAD Media Awards will be hosted by comedians Fortune Feimster and Gina Yashere  and features a star-studded lineup: Cara Delevingne, Kaitlyn Dever, WWE superstar Sonya Deville, Beanie Feldstein, Jonica T. Gibbs, Dan Levy, Lil Nas X, Rachel Maddow, Ryan O’Connell, Dolly Parton, Peppermint, the cast and producers of Pose, trans model and advocate Geena Rocero, Angelica Ross, comedian Benito Skinner, Brian Michael Smith, Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union, Lena Waithe, Olivia Wilde, and Raquel Willis. Chloe x Halle will put on a special performance. The event will stream on GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube at 8 p.m. ET July 30 and air on Logo on August 3 at 8 p.m. ET

 Studio Responsibility Index

GLAAD's Studio Responsibility Index sees highest recorded percentage of LGBTQ films, but racial diversity drops and zero transgender characters appear

GLAAD released its eighth annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) on Thursday, a report that maps the quantity, quality, and diversity of LGBTQ characters in films released by the eight film studios that had the highest theatrical grosses from films released in the 2019 calendar year and four of their subsidiaries as reported by box office database Box Office Mojo. These studios were Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, STX Films, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros.

GLAAD found that of the 118 films released from major studios in 2019, 22 (18.6%) included characters that were lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ). This represents a slight increase from the previous year’s report (18.2%, 20 out of 110 films) and the highest percentage of inclusive films found in the eight-year history of the report. 

GLAAD noted a concerning continuation of a downward trend in terms of racial diversity of LGBTQ characters in this year’s report. There was a significant decrease in racial diversity of LGBTQ characters for the third consecutive year. In 2019, just 34 percent of LGBTQ characters were people of color (17 of 50), down from 42 percent in the previous report and a decrease of twenty-three percentage points from the 57 percent of LGBTQ characters of color in 2017. GLAAD is calling on the studios to ensure that within two years at least half of their LGBTQ characters are people of color. Click here to read the full report.

 News and Rapid Response

GLAAD works with Indianapolis high school coach and athletic trainer who was fired for being gay

Last week, The Indianapolis Star published a feature on Krystal Brazel, a coach and athletic trainer who was fired from her job at Lutheran High School in Indianapolis in February for being gay. GLAAD is working with Brazel to tell and share her story, including the outpouring of support from local Lutheran parents and students who say they were blindsided by the school's decision to dismiss her. The comprehensive article in The Indianapolis Star described Brazel's journey and its place in the broader fight for LGBTQ job protections after conflicting U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Brazel detailed her encounter with the school's athletic director and head of school, where they showed her the school handbook, which reads, in part: “We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God.” When Brazel said she would not sign a statement adhering to the tenets of the handbook, she was told that she could not go back to the school in any capacity. Brazel is one of five LGBTQ educators fired by religious institutions in the Indianapolis area. GLAAD is working with Indianapolis-based organization Shelly's Voice to provide advocacy and media outreach for Brazel and for Shelly Fitzgerald, the namesake of Shelly's Voice, who was fired as Roncalli High School's guidance counselor after 15 years when the archdiocese found out she had married her wife. GLAAD continues to monitor and amplify these stories to achieve 100 percent LGBTQ acceptance.

 Youth Engagement

GLAAD honors Naya Rivera after news of her passing

Former GLAAD Media Awards host Naya Rivera was reported dead earlier this week in a tragic drowning accident. Rivera is most known for playing queer Latinx character Santana Lopez on Glee. GLAAD shared uplifting stories of fans remembering Rivera and what her character on Glee meant to them. GLAAD also created space on its social media for people to share their thoughts and share in the loss. 

 Communities of Color

GLAAD’s DaShawn Usher leads panel for Global Black Gay Pride

Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC) held the first-ever Global Black Gay Pride, themed Riot, a virtual 12-hour global experience that took place on Friday, July 10. Kalen Allen served as one of the grand marshals. DaShawn Usher, GLAAD’s Programs Officer for Communities of Color, hosted a panel with other national Black leaders. He has also worked with the organizers for the US programming section, including several featured panels: “Black Queer Music Culture Goes Mainstream,” “Manifesting Bravery: A Conversation on the Future of Black Pride,” “Lift Every Voice: A Conversation with Black Gay Advocates,” “Young, Gifted, and Black: A Chat with Young Black Gay Leaders,” and “Saints and Sexuality: A faith-based conversation with Black LGBTQ Faith Leaders.” The event featured talent and performances from the likes of Billy Porter, Greg Millet (amfAR), Kenyon Farrow, Victor Jackson, Julian Walker, and more. Click here to watch the event.

GLAAD amplifies digital series “Heart to Heart” as Mila Jam and Kandi Burruss discuss solidarity

In the first installment of Intersection’s “Heart to Heart” series, Grammy winner Kandi Burruss and pop artist Mila Jam discuss the importance of solidarity between cisgender women and women of trans experience. GLAAD promoted the series on its social channels and wrote a post highlighting its importance. The women discuss how their profession and activism intersect. The hour-long conversation comes at a time when more conversations and opportunities to learn about the challenges facing the Black trans community is vital and can no longer wait to be had. Heart to Heart aims to bridge the intersectional gaps within the Black community. Click here to watch the interview.

 Transgender Media Representation

GLAAD continues to call out media that misgender and deadname people  

Merci Mack, a 22-year-old Black transgender woman, was fatally shot in Dallas last week, becoming at least 21 transgender peopel have been killed in the U.S. this year alone. Following her murder, GLAAD reached out to local media and responded on Twitter to call out media for its irresponsible coverage surrounding her death: “Some reports are misgendering and deadnaming her, which only adds to the pain of her death. Media must take note and fix their reports.” In a story by USA Today, GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also called on media to do better when reporting on transgender victims of violence: “Using the birth name implies that the trans person's actual lived identity is somehow not real, and draws attention to a name and identity that is not accurate or authentic to how they lived their life. Journalists need to do the work and learn the name the victim actually used with people who respected and accepted them. Failing to do this causes additional harm in a situation that is already tragic.” With its Rapid Response model, GLAAD closely monitors the media to ensure publications accurately and fairly report LGBTQ issues.

GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis highlights the alarming rates of homelessness experienced by trans youth, the epidemic of violence facing Black trans women, and more

In response to the Trump administration’s new proposal that would allow federally funded housing services to turn away transgender people, GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis appeared on a segment of CBS News this week to talk about how the new proposal is part of the Trump administration’s continued campaign to target the trans community. The proposal is just one of at least 153 attacks on the LGBTQ community from the Trump Administration since he took office, as documented on GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Project. Throughout the segment, Ellis talks about how homelessness disproportionately affects transgender youth, which makes the Trump administration’s new proposal a cruel attack on an already vulnerable population. Ellis also talks about the epidemic of violence facing the trans community, specifically Black trans women, and provides ways that cisgender people can be allies to the trans community. She also highlighted the video that trans content creator Daniella Carter partnered with GLAAD to debut during Pride Month, which spotlighted members of the transgender community sending messages of hope in response to COVID-19 and nationwide protests. Ellis closes the segment detailing why deadnaming is a harmful practice, specifically in light of media coverage surrounding the murders of trans people. Watch the full interview here. 

 GLAAD Media Institute

Join GLAAD for the 2020 Election Engagement for LGBTQ Equality workshop

On July 29, the GLAAD Media Institute will host its second 2020 Election Engagement for LGBTQ Equality workshop. The training is free and open to the public. Click here to register. The training is important as we near our Presidential Election.GLAAD is on the frontlines urging LGBTQ people and allies to vote. It is imperative that we reverse the erosion of LGBTQ rights, including reversing the trans military ban and making sure all marginalized communities are seen and heard. Take the pledge to vote now.

GLAAD works with Harry Potter fan sites to craft responses to J.K. Rowling’s transphobic essay and tweets 

GLAAD worked with Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron, two of the largest and most well-established Harry Potter fan sites, to help them craft a public response to JK Rowling's anti-trans essay and her ongoing transphobic tweets. In the statement, the two groups disavowed Rowling's "harmful and disproven beliefs about what it means to be a transgender person," and affirmed their support for transgender fans who have found community in the Harry Potter fandom. GLAAD has continued to use its social media as a safe haven for Harry Potter fans, especially transgender fans. 

 Entertainment Media

GLAAD supports Ty Herdon’s annual Concert For Love & Acceptance

On June 30, the 2020 Concert for Love & Acceptance took place, which streamed on CMT's and GLAAD’s Facebook and YouTube channels. The program raised funds to support LGBTQ youth & their families through GLAAD and ACM Lifting Lives. The event was hosted by Kristin Chenoweth, Cody Alan, and Ty Herndon, and featured performances, special appearances, and messages of LGBTQ acceptance from country music stars Tanya Tucker, Jake Owen, Brett Young, Rita Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Shane McAnally, Dennis Quaid, Lewis Brice, Michael Ray, Jamie O’Neal, Mickey Guyton, Indigo Girls, Matt Bomer, Leslie Jordan, and more. Watch the full show here. 

GLAAD partners with Rainbow Railroad for ‘Welcome To Chechnya’ virtual panel

In partnership with GLAAD, Rainbow Railroad held a Beyond the Film panel about the documentary Welcome to Chechnya. The HBO documentary was released on June 30, and GLAAD has promoted and supported the documentary since its Sundance debut in January. Welcome to Chechnya documents the anti-LGBTQ purging that took place in Chechnya in the 2010s. The film puts LGBTQ Chechnyan refugees at the center of the story. Click here to learn more about the film. 

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