For many years a show aired twice a day, in the afternoon then again in the early evening and nationwide, in cities with large Latino populations. It was, for a quick comparison, like Jerry Springer only worse, if you can imagine.

Guests came on to battle it out with each other over, mostly, love or property. And, shockingly, audience members were encouraged to chant “maricón” “puto” “puñal” and other words synonymous with the word "faggot." Sometimes audience members would want to beat up the person they thought was gay. Women were regularly called “putas,” female guests urged to pull up their tops and show off their breasts and female guests would get into knock out drag out fights featuring graphic nudity at the women's expense.

It was degradation writ TV screen sized and beamed out to millions of homes. And it wasn’t right. It sent a terrible message to anyone watching of the incredibly diminished value of LGBT people, of women, of Latinos ourselves.

Fortunately, this show's egregious use of slurs and violence didn't go unnoticed. Thousands of people joined GLAAD and the National Hispanic Media Coalition's campaign to stop the show from allowing this.

GLAAD had a great partner in NHMC and together we engaged so many people in the campaign, including many advertisers who did not realize the type of content they were helping to support. We also worked with the Women's Media Center and had great support from community organizations like Bienestar.

The show went off the air in 2012 and on November 14, 2013 the FCC announced a decision to enter into a consent decree with the show’s producers and to fine them $110,000.

Bad programming can exist--but so too can great programming that entertains or informs while including people of all orientations and gender identities. In an era of excellent shows on CNN en Español, on Telemundo and Univision, Mundo Fox and Azteca América, and in a world where Fusion, the new English language channel exists, it’s clear that Latinos want quality programming.

Latinos have LGBT people in their families and circles of friends, and we don’t want to hear them called "puñal" on TV or on the streets. When we make people seem of lesser value because of their skin color or their gender or their orientation, we put those people in danger, because the message to society is ‘these people don’t matter.’ Oftentimes the last word someone hears before they are attacked or even killed is “faggot.”

At GLAAD we don’t want to see violence treated like an entertaining spectacle. We also don’t want to see LGBT characters be the joke of the skit or the stereotyped character on a novela. LGBT people are in every part of life, from construction workers to waitresses to doctors and boxers, singers, actresses and nurses. We are not stereotypes and we certainly won’t allow ourselves to be called “maricón” “joto” or any other derogatory term.

I look forward to a world of more inclusive shows—in Spanish and in English—where no one is diminished because of their skin color, the country they came from, their gender or their gender identity or orientation.

Hoy tuvimos el honor de anunciar los nominados a los Premios GLAAD, no solo en categorías en inglés, sino también en español.  Este día es uno de los más especiales para nosotros en GLAAD, pues mientras tomamos muy en serio nuestro papel de grupo regulador (es decir, llamar la atención cuando hay momentos despectivos en los medios) , nos agrada muchísimo poder decir “muy bien hecho.”

En lo que se refiere a la representación y cobertura de temas y personas LGBT en los medios en español, este año trajo muchas cosas buenas. Por ejemplo, se incrementó la cobertura de temas transgénero, así como el cruce entre temas LGBT y de inmigración. Además, este fue el año en que Telefutura introdujo Noche de Perros, un programa nocturno que cuenta entre sus tres anfitriones con un anfitrión abiertamente gay (Gabriel Varela).

Si bien es cierto que todavía vemos cobertura problemática y representaciones estereotipadas (al igual que en los medios en inglés), esta lista de nominados representa el progreso que se sigue dando en los medios en español.

Y los nominados son...

Entre los nominados figuran tres novelas (Las Aparicio, Los Exitosos Gome$ y El Último Matrimonio Feliz) que abordaron temas y situaciones más complejas y más allá del tema de la salida del armario a través de sus representaciones de relaciones de parejas gays y lesbianas . Debido a la duración y frecuencia de transmisión de las novelas, los personajes en las novelas muchas veces se vuelven en los queridos u odiados (cuando son los villanos) del público. Por lo tanto,  para que se logre ampliar la comprensión de quiénes somos, queda claro que es importante la inclusión de personajes y relaciones gays.

Los medios noticiosos también sobresalen como nominados. El Diario la Prensa, el diario de habla hispana más grande de la ciudad de Nueva York, se reconoce tanto por su excelente y frecuente cobertura respecto a temas LGBT como por su apoyo muy público y sólido para la igualdad matrimonial en el estado de Nueva York. Además, Noticias 34, de la estación local de Univision  en Los Ángeles, ha sido nominado por Mejor Segmento de Noticias por su producción de “Ángeles de cambio,” una serie de tres partes que contó las historias de latinos transgénero. 

Es de destacar también los nominados en la categoría de programas de “talk show” de día, que incluye Caso Cerrado (conducido por la Dra. Ana Maria Polo) y  Casos de Familia (conducido por Judith Grace), por sus excelentes historias con temas LGBT. Paparazzi Magazine, programa de farándula en Mega TV, ha recibido una nominación en categoría de revista noticiosa  por su cobertura conmovedora y atenta sobre el acoso y hostigamiento anti-LGBT, cobertura que surgió a raíz de la muerte por suicidio de Jamey Rodemeyer y que también incluyó la presentación y  traducción al español de un video que el joven había hecho para el proyecto "It Gets Better" ("Las cosas se pondrán mejor").

Estos nominados hacen una gran diferencia, al igual que los nominados Ricky Martin (Mejor Artista), People en Español.com,  y Primer Impacto, que produjo una gran cantidad de historias LGBT este año. Por su cobertura excelente de temas y personas LGBT también se destacan Despierta América, Al Rojo Vivo  y CNN en Español, así como los primerizos nominados Noticiero con Paola Rojas (con dos nominaciones) y ESPN Deportes.

Haz clic para ver los demás nominados en español e inglés.  

Menciones Honrosas (y No Tan Honrosas)

En los medios impresos se incrementó la cobertura de temas transgénero y el cruce entre temas LGBT e inmigración:

• En la Associated Press “Transgéneros latinos logran asilo en EE.UU. por orientación sexual” por E.J. Támara
• En El Nuevo Herald (el diario de habla hispana más grande en Miami)   “Medida ayuda a estudiantes transgénero,” que fue traducida del inglés y escrita por Carli Teproff, reportera de Miami Herald ; y “Ola de crímenes xenófobos y transfóbicos en Puerto Rico” por Frances Robles, que examinó la ola de crimenes que ha azotado a las personas LGBT en Puerto Rico durante más de dos años.
• En El Nuevo Día de Puerto Rico,“Un estigma que hay que erradicar,” por Mildred Rivera Marrero, que dio a conocer los problemas afectando a las personas gays y lesbianas de la tercera edad en Puerto Rico;y  “
  
  Soraya, precursora del cambio de sexo en Puerto Rico

  ” por Marga Parés Arroyo.

En programas de televisión de noticias y entretenimiento, se hizo un esfuerzo visible para diversificar la cobertura y las representaciones de las personas y temas LGBT:

• Noticiero Nacional Azteca America transmitió un segmento titulado "Llamado a la igualdad en el Día de Amor", que incluyó una discusión por parte latinos LGBT y sus aliados (incluyendo un pastor) ante el significado de tener una falta de igualdad en el matrimonio en el Día de Amor.
• El programa matutino Levántate de Telemundo entrevistó a Cristina Urgel acerca de su personaje abiertamente bisexual en la novela popular  "La Reina del Sur."
• En la serie RPM Miami  de Mun2, que toma lugar en el mundo de carreras de autos clandestinas de Miami, hubo un personaje detective abiertamente bisexual que fue interpretada por Paulina Gálvez.

En cuanto a lo no tan honoroso, si bien es cierto que los programas de día suelen producir excelentes historias acerca de las personas LGBT y sus familias, sin embargo, mantenemos serias dudas y reservas. Precisamente en Paparazzi Magazine,  Javier Ceriani (el nuevo anfitrión del programa) con frecuencia hizo comentarios inapropiados ante, entre otras cosas, rumores de que unas celebridades eran lesbianas. No podemos imaginar por qué es que se decidió que Ceriani remplazara al antiguo co-anfitrión, Eduardo Antonio, quien efectivamente fue un aliado mucho mejor a la comunidad LGBT. Del mismo modo, se manifiestan declaraciones peligrosamente problemáticas en el programa Quién Tiene la Razón de Telefutura. Si bien Nancy Álvarez, la anfitriona, aborda temas LGBT con mucha frecuenciay los maneja de modo que ayuda a educar a los televidentes, a veces presenta opiniones erróneas sobre algunas cuestiones (como la crianza de los hijos) con hechos sin base científica.

Una Sobreabundancia de Cosas Buenas

Frente a un gran número de posibles nominados en algunas categorías, nos encontramos con un problema grato a tener en 2011. Es realmente un gran placer poder honrar a los profesionales mediáticos quienes están estableciendo estándares altos de calidad y excelencia para todos los medios de comunicación.. Por favor, no se olvide que tiene el papel importante que desempeñar en crear la lista de los nominados para el próximo año . Manténgase en contacto con nosotros y háganos saber si usted ve una buena o mala representación LGBT) Siempre necesitamos de su ayuda de monitoreo de medios en Inglés y Español!

LGBT-inclusive storylines and characters are most certainly not new to Spanish-language soap operas. Just two recent hit novelas were “Más Sabe el Diablo,” which featured a transgender and gay main character and “¿Dónde Está Elisa?” which followed the intimate but secret relationship between two gay men. Both aired on Telemundo and won GLAAD Media Awards. But in terms of LGBT-inclusion, Telemundo’s sleek, modern and provocative novela, “Relaciones Peligrosas” (“Dangerous Affairs”), which is set in a Miami high school,  breaks the mold with its fair depiction of the highs and lows in the life of the novela’s so far only gay character, Alejandro “Ale” Portillo (played by Puerto Rican actor Kevin Aponte).

Sensible, resilient, and compassionate, Ale is a frequent target of bullying along with black Haitian-Dominican classmate Cassius.  But rather than being presented exclusively as one of hardships, Ale’s life is presented as having the potential for triumph and empowerment.  In a recent episode, he confronted a bully after attempting to take his own life, telling him “I’m gay, and I want to thank you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t have to live my life in hiding, scared, silent,” which was prefaced by a reference to Jamey Rodemeyer, the real-life 14-year-old openly bisexual teenager who died by suicide last year. With the support of his friend Nora, Ale subsequently made an “It Gets Better”-like video in which he took a stand, saying “The struggle against your bullies ends the moment you accept yourself for who you are, because you get to be at peace with yourself,” and concluded with, “Hi, my name is Alejandro, and I’m proud to be gay.”

“Relaciones Peligrosas” deals with an array of social issues including substance abuse, crime, dating, violence against women, as well as race, class and LGBT issues.The novela, which premiered in January 2012 and is an adaptation of the Spanish series “Física o Química," airs weeknights at 10PM/9PM Central on Telemundo.

In its first weeks “Relaciones Peligrosas” ranked number one in Miami in ratings across all stations regardless of language, and was number one in New York beating all Spanish-Language stations, according to Telemundo. The novela was also heavily promoted by Telemundo and touted for its cutting-edge incorporation of social media.

UPDATE: A still from a March 22 episode:

Hoy en día no es para nada novedad encontrar novelas con tramas LGBT, pues están los ejemplos recientes de novelas  como “Más Sabe el Diablo”, que se destacó por tener un protagonista gay y también por la inclusión de un personaje transgenero, y “¿Dónde Está Elisa?” que se destacó por su representación de una relación íntima pero secreta entre dos hombres gays, ambas de las cuales ganaron Premios GLAAD. Pero en cuanto al tratamiento inclusivo de temas LGBT,  rompe el molde la novela provocativa y moderna de Telemundo, “Relaciones Peligrosas”, que toma lugar en una escuela secundaria en Miami, por su representación justa de las altas y bajas de la vida de su--hasta ahora—único personaje gay, Alejandro “Ale” Portillo, que es interpretado por el actor puertorriqueño Kevin Aponte.

El sensible, fuerte y compasivo Ale sufre frecuentemente el acoso al igual que su compañero de clase Cassius, que es de origen haitiano y dominicano. Pero lejos de ser presentada como una repleta exclusivamente de penurias, la vida de Ale es presentada como una que tiene la capacidad de lograr el triunfo y la autopotenciación. En un capitulo reciente, Ale le hizo frente a su “bully” (o acosador”) tras intentar quitarse la vida, diciéndole que “Soy gay, y te quiero agradecer porque eres lo mejor que ha pasado en mi  vida. Ya no tengo que vivir escondido, con miedo, callado", lo que partió de una referencia a Jamey Rodemeyer, el adolecente de 14 años que murió el año pasado por causa del suicidio. Posteriormente, con el apoyo de su amiga Nora, Ale hizo un video en que alza su voz diciendo que “La guerra contra los ‘bullies’ termina en el momento en que te aceptas por quien eres, porque logras estar en paz contigo mismo,” y concluyó diciendo, “Hola, me llamo Alejandro, y estoy orgulloso de ser gay.”

“Relaciones Peligrosas” trata una variedad de problemas sociales como el abuso de drogas, el noviazgo, la violencia contra las mujeres, así como la discriminación por raza, clase y orientación sexual. La novela, que se estrenó en enero 2012 y es una adaptación de la serie española “Física o Química", se transmite por Telemundo de lunes a viernes a las 10pm/9pm tiempo del centro.

En sus primeras semanas "Relaciones peligrosas" ocupó el primer lugar en Miami en los ratings, y fue número uno en Nueva York, superando a todas las estaciones en español, de acuerdo a Telemundo. La novela también fue muy promovida por Telemundo y ha sido elogiada por su innovadora incorporación de las redes sociales.

This past Saturday, 9 recipients in Spanish-language categories were announced at the 23rd annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York. This year's outstanding slate of recipients and nominees in Spanish-Language categories reflected a trend of increased coverage of transgender issues as well as the intersection between LGBT and immigration issues.

Among the recipients are Ricky Martin, who received the Outstanding Music Artist award for his album Música + Alma + Sexo (Music + Soul + Sex).  Martin responded to his GLAAD Media Award nod by dedicating the honor to Chilean hate crime victim, 24-year-old  Daniel Zamudio, who was brutally attacked because of his sexual orientation and left in a coma earlier this month. While promoting his tour and music, Ricky Martin gave numerous excellent interviews in which he discussed his year as an out man, his family and partner.

 El Diario la Prensa, New York City’s largest Spanish-language daily and the nation’s oldest Spanish-Language newspaper, received a Special Recognition award  for its excellent and frequent coverage of LGBT issues as well as for its very public support of marriage equality in New York State, providing an invaluable role for the region’s Latino community.  

And the rest of the recipients are:

• Outstanding Daytime Talk Show Episode:  "Lesbianas celebran 10 años” Caso Cerrado (Telemundo) - This daily court program showcased the story of a lesbian couple who sued two restaurant owners for insulting and humiliating them at their 10th anniversary dinner in front of their families. After reviewing evidence, Dr. Polo sided with the couple.
• Outstanding Talk Show Interview: “Entrevista con Raquel Gómez y Mony Ruiz Velasco” Al Punto (Univision) - In this segment a transgender detainee in an Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) facility and her attorney were asked to recall the woman’s story of abuse in federal detention. Respected anchor Jorge Ramos brought much-needed attention to the stories of gay and transgender Latinos who often suffer disproportionately (and silently) while in custody.
• Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: "Asesino"Primer Impacto (Univision) - This segment covered the rash of hate-motivated murders of LGBT people in Honduras that at the time had gone without proper investigation . Correspondent Ricardo Arambarri’s ambitious report called attention to the discrepancies in the numbers of murders of gay and transgender people as reported by the country’s Human Rights Ministry and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, demonstrating the obstacles to ensuring proper investigation for these murders and also safety and protection for LGBT people in the country.
• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment": Ángeles de cambio” Noticiero 34 (KMEX TV-34, Los Angeles, CA) - In this 3-part series Los Angeles reporter Cecilia Bográn showcased the lives of several transgender men and women, telling their stories in ways rarely seen in media. One segment showed a Latino trans man with his mom, who loves her son even as she struggles to accept his gender identity and with his girlfriend, as part of a happy and supportive young couple
• Outstanding Newspaper Article: TIE:​
  • ​"Casamiento e hijos biológicos para pareja gay hispana de EEUU" by Claudia Torrens (Associated Press)- This article featured a Latino gay couple’s journey to becoming parents to two biological offspring. Insight is given into the costly and arduous selection process of finding the right donor for ovules. Given the couples strong ties to Latin America, the piece also confronted the international and cultural debate about marriage equality and LGBT adoption rights in the region.
  • "Madre hay una sola, no necesariamente" by Virginia Gaglianone (La Opinión) - This Mother’s Day article used as its title the Spanish saying of “we only have one mother” and added “not necessarily,” to take readers into the lives of several households headed by two moms. The writer sought out and interviewed a variety of moms, from those who adopted through the county system, to those with kids previous relationships and infants together and those raising a family member’s child, to create an interesting and ambitious portrait of what it means to a house headed by two moms.
• Outstanding Digital Journalism: "Las 7 señales de un niño transgénero" by Paula Andalo (Univision.com) - This photo essay began by telling Chaz Bono’s story and explaining his role in boosting the visibility of transgender people. The piece delved into transgender people in history and legal challenges, debunked myths and offered parental advice on how to best support a transgender child.
• Outstanding Magazine Article: "Nueva York ♥ la igualdad" by Michelle Oyola (People en Español) - This double-page pictorial featured snapshots of six couples who married in New York on July 24, the first day same-sex couples could legally wed. By picking great photos of a diverse group of couples, the magazine is certain to have touched the hearts of its considerable worldwide readership.

El sábado pasado, GLAAD anunció nueve recipientes de categorías en español de  23ª edición de los Premios GLAAD. Tanto los ganadores como los nominados en categorías en español de este año reflejaron la tendencia que se evidenció a lo largo de 2011 de una cobertura incrementada de temas transgénero, así como del cruce entre temas LGBT y de inmigración.

Entre los recipientes de Premios GLAAD está Ricky Martin, quien recibió el premio por Mejor Artista Musical por su álbum Música + Alma+ Sexo, y luego se lo dedicó al joven chileno de 24 años, Daniel Zamudio, que fue brutalmente atacado hasta el punto de entrar en coma.  Durante la promoción de su música y gira, Ricky Martin realizó excelentes entrevistas donde habló de su experiencia viviendo abiertamente como hombre gay, así como de su familia y su pareja.

El Diario la Prensa, el periódico de habla hispana más grande en la zona metropolitana de Nueva York,  recibió el premio de Reconocimiento Especial tanto por su excelente y frecuente cobertura respecto a temas LGBT como por su apoyo muy público y sólido para la igualdad matrimonial en el estado de Nueva York, así brindando un servicio fundamental para la comunidad latina de esa región

Y el resto de los recipientes son: 

•  Mejor Episodio de “Talk Show” de Día: "Lesbianas celebran 10 Años" Caso Cerrado (Telemundo) - Este programa de corte trató el caso de una pareja lesbiana que demandó a dos propietarios de restaurante por insultar y humillarlas delante sus familias en plena cena de su 10 º aniversario Después de revisar la evidencia, el Dr. Polo se puso del lado de la pareja.
•  Mejor Entrevista de “Talk Show”: "Entrevista Con Raquel Gómez y Mony Ruiz Velasco" Al Punto (Univision) - En este segmento se entrevistó a mujer transgénero que sufrió abusos mientras estaba detenida en un centro de detención de ICE, así como a su abogada. El muy respetado periodista Jorge Ramos llamó la atención a los abusos sufridos por los latinos gays y transgénero, que a menudo los sufren de manera desproporcionada (y se mantienen en silencio al respecto) durante su detención.
• Mejor  Revista Periodística: "Asesino" Primer Impacto (Univision) - Este segmento cubrió la ola de asesinatos de personas LGBT en Honduras motivados por el odio. El corresponsal Ricardo Arambarri llamó la atención sobre las discrepancias en las cifras de asesinatos de personas gays y transgénero según lo informado por el Ministerio de Derechos Humanos y la Oficina de Investigación Criminal, lo que demuestra los obstáculos para asegurar la debida investigación de estos asesinatos y también la seguridad y protección para las personas LGBT en el país.
•  Mejor Segmento de Noticias: “Ángeles de Cambio" Noticiero 34 (KMEX-TV 34, Los Angeles, CA) - En esta serie de 3 partes,  Cecilia Bográn abordó las vidas de varios hombres y mujeres transgénero, contando sus experiencias de forma pocas veces visto en los medios de comunicación. En un segmento se resaltó el caso de un hombre trans latino que tiene el amor de su madre a pesar de costarle asimilar la identidad de género de su hijo; y que tiene una relación sentimental con una novia  que le da de amor y apoyo.
•  Mejor Articulo de Periodico:EMPATE
  • "Casamiento e hijos biológicos para pareja gay hispana de EEUU" de Claudia Torrens (Associated Press) - En este artículo se contó el trayecto de una pareja gay latina para convertirse en padres de dos hijos biológicos. Debido a los fuertes lazos con América Latina, la nota también aborda el debate internacional y cultural sobre los temas de igualdad en el matrimonio y la adopción por parte de personas LGBT.
  • "Madre solo hay una, no necesariamente" por Virginia Gaglianone (La Opinión) - Este artículo publicado para el Día de la Madre utiliza su título como punto de partida para explorar la vida de varios hogares encabezados por dos mamás. La autora del artículo entrevistó a una gran variedad de madres para crear un retrato interesante de lo que significa tener un hogar encabezado por dos mamás.
•  Mejor Articulo Digital: "Las 7 Señales De Un Niño Transgénero" por Paula Andalo (Univision.com) - Este reportaje fotográfico se inició con la historia de Chaz Bono, explicando su papel en el desarrollo de visibilidad de personas transgénero. El  reportaje exploró la participación de personas transgénero en la historia, así como los desafíos legales para las personas transgénero, desmintió los mitos y ofreció consejo de los padres sobre cómo apoyar mejor a un niño transgénero.
• Mejor Articulo de Revista: "Nueva York ♥ La Igualdad" por Michelle Oyola (People en Español) - Esta ensayo fotográfico de dos páginas destacó a seis parejas que se casaron en Nueva York el 24 de julio de 2011, el primer día en que las parejas del mismo sexo podían casarse legalmente. 

Some of the most LGBT positive moments on Spanish language media are happening on daytime TV. Recently on Univision's popular "Casos de Familia" host Tere Marin made a call for marriage equality. Family members come to talk about disagreements in front of a studio audience. In this particular case a woman comes to ask her deceased partner's sister to respect her rights to their shared income. 

The case is complicated with other issues, but as Marin wraps up the segment, she says "let's pass marriage equality" because otherwise what we have left are people in pain arguing over inheritances and benefits.  She then says  that each partner should write a clear will that states their wishes and urges everyone whether gay or straight to do so.

You can watch the clip with Marin wrapping up here.

The same day Doctora Ana Maria Polo on her show, Telemundo's "Caso Cerrado" talked about LGBT couples having children.  She asked one of the experts on her show to explain to the audience how in vitro fertilization processes work.  "Caso Cerrado" allows participants to present grievances, and Polo has often covered LGBT topics.  She always makes sex positive and LGBT positive statements during the segments.  She brings on expert pyschologists, lawyers, law enforcement officials and others that can speak about different aspects of the case and then she makes the final judgement.

You can watch the clip from "Caso Cerrado" here.

Finally, the following day "¿Quien Tiene la Razon?" on Univision also presented a story about LGBT issues.  This program also allows participants to present a grievance.  Three panelists, one of whom is an out gay man, award points to the person they think is right and the audience votes to award their points.  The best part of this particular show was when one of the panelist gave an LGBT inclusive explanation of human sexuality.

You can watch the clip from "¿Quien Tiene la Razon?"here.

These popular shows have a large reach.  Although it can be challenging in these formats to present nuanced views of LGBT people and the episodes are not perfect in this regard, these three moments prove that it is possible to approach telling truths in reality programming.

Telemundo's morning show "Un Nuevo Día" recently shared with viewers information about an IRS video that helps LGBT couples understand new tax regulations. The segment was informative and filled with images of lesbian and gay couples getting married as the two hosts discussed the news. During the segment one of the hosts asked, with surprise, "They used to treat them [gay couples] differently before?" Exactly! You can watch the IRS video here.

All the major Spanish-language media networks covered the exclusion of LGBTQ people in the New York and Boston St. Patrick's Day parade.  Univision mentioned the parade and the controversy during its highly watched nightly news program that reaches over 1.6 million viewers.  The segment mentioned that some key sponsors and the city's mayor boycotted the parade because of the exclusion. 

Telemundo's coverage included the New York affiliate station's Yolanda Vasquez' piece which featured LGBTQ activists explaining in Spanish why they were protesting the parade.  Vasquez' piece included historical context detailing that 20 years ago then Mayor David Dinkins also boycotted the parade because the organizers excluded members of the community. 

Finally on CNNE's "Nuestro Mundo" (Our World), a show that reaches viewers not only in the US, but in Mexico and Latin America, the host Patricia Jainot wrapped up her segment on the parade with this message-  "Let's see if next year the organizers reconsider their decision of excluding the gay community."  The segment also mentions that people in Ireland wore pink in their parades in solidarity with the LGBTQ community.

There is a lot happening on the immigration front as activists throughout the country find ways to get the attention of legislators, the president and the populace about the need for comprehensive immigration reform, from border actions to apps developed with the help of tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg to petitions calling on President Obama to put a stop to the deportations that have reached a historic 2 million. 

Interestingly throughout the coverage, we have seen rainbow flags noting the presence of LGBTQ people as part of the immigration struggle but not always interviews of LGBT participants. That was not the case on Telemundo's morning show "Un Nuevo Dia."  The morning show includes periodic newsbreaks that acquaint its millions of viewers with the most important news going on across the country.

One of the segments, included an undocumented gay couple as participants in the border action and interviewed them along with other immigrants trying to reunite with their families or flee discrimination.  You can watch the video below:

Producer and actress Ileanna Simancas was used to creating holiday-themed pieces with Telemundo's on-air talent, and last month she decided to change things up a bit and came up with a Pride month video concept. The daughter of very well-known actors from Venezuela, who has been around the entertainment business since birth, she knows the power of media. So she created a three-minute piece starring popular Telemundo telenovela actors.

The initial cut got so much attention, that with support of Yoly Casaprima, a representative of Out@NBC (the company's LGBT eployee resource group) in South Florida, at Telemundo's parent company, it evolved into a 9-minute, moving montage of stories from Telemundo novela actors, morning show personalities and network executives. Some are themselves out, others talk about their kids or family members, and all send a great message of support. Simancas' mom, Martha Mijares, a very well-known actress, is even in the video along with morning show and novela stars like Adamari López, Rashel Díaz, Jorge Luis Pila, Laura Flores, Gabriel Coronel, Gloria Peralta, among others.

Simancas herself has only being part of the LGBT community and out for the last 4 years, which brings with it a unique perspective. "I am used to freedom and there's no way I'm going into any closet now," she says. "What, it was okay to make out with my husband in public when I was married, but now when I am with my girlfriend, we are not supposed to even hold hands or dance or show our love in public in any other way?"

Since sharing the piece on the network's digital page and newsletters, and its internal channel Mundo TV, Simancas says she's received so many beautiful messages of encouragement and support that she wants to share the video with a wider audience. Simancas feels that by having respected members of the Spanish-language media community in the spot, she will be reaching a larger audience in the United States and Latin America, an audience that wakes up to, gets the news from and is entertained by the people at her network.

She notes that there is not enough media about the LGBT community in Spanish. There's a huge need, she says, for the community to know about us and hear that we have support from our families, are loved and respected and have successful careers. Simancas, pictured here with her mom, knows full well that not everyone has a supportive family or a community, but by giving voice to those who are supportive, she hopes to show what can be accomplished if more people speak out.

She also hopes to encourage those of us who are struggling for acceptance, equality and justice to keep fighting.

You can watch the powerful video here:

And tweet your thanks to Telemundo for this great message. Or to the following particpants:

Ileanna Simancas: https://twitter.com/IleannaSim @ileannasim

Adamari Lopez: https://twitter.com/AdamariLopez  @adamrilopez

Rashel Diaz: https://twitter.com/RashelDiaz   @rashelDiaz

Jorge Luis Pila: https://twitter.com/jorgeluispila  @jorgeluispila

Laura Flores: https://twitter.com/LauraFloresMx  @laurafloresmx

Gabriel Coronel: https://twitter.com/gabrielcoronel  @gabrielcoronel

Gloria Peralta: https://twitter.com/gloriaperaltas  @gloriaperaltas

Productora y actriz Ileanna Simancas había creado piezas para fiestas del calendario con la participación de los actores y protagonistas de Telemundo y el mes pasado decidió hacer lo mismo con un video para el mes del Orgullo gay.  Ella es hija de una familia Venezolana de actores reconocidos y creció rodeada por el negocio de entretenimiento, por eso sabe mucho del poder de los medios. El resultado fue un video de tres minutos protagonizado por actores de las telenovelas de Telemundo.

El proyecto tuvo tanto éxito y recibió tanta atención, que con el apoyo de Yoly Casaprima un representante de Out@NBC (el grupo de recursos para los empleados LGBT de la compañía a quien le pertenece la cadena) en el sur de Florida, se convirtió en un video de nueve minutos que contiene historias de actores de las novelas de Telemundo, personalidades del programa matutino, y ejecutivos del canal que o son abiertamente gay, o tienen familiares gay o en otra manera son aliados del movimiento para la igualdad LGBT.  Hasta la mama de Ilenna Simancas, Martha Mijares, una famosa actriz, aparece en la pieza.  Personajes de Telemundo como Adamari López, Rashel Díaz, Jorge Luis Pila, Laura Flores, Gabriel Coronel, Gloria Peralta, entre otros, apoyaron a esta iniciativa.

Simancas en si solo ha sido parte de la comunidad LGBT y abierta por 4 años y quizás por eso tiene un punto de vista particular. "Yo estoy acostumbrada a la libertad, y de ninguna manera me voy a entrar en cualquier armario ahora. Que? Antes podía besar a mi esposo en público cuando fui casada con un hombre, pero ahora cuando estoy con mi novia, no debemos ni agarrarnos de la manos, bailar, ni enseñar nuestro cariño en cualquier manera?"

Desde que compartió el video en la página digital de Telemundo, en comunicados internos del canal y en el sitio de televisión interna Mundo TV, ha recibido tantos mensajes lindos de apoyo que lo quiere compartir con una audiencia más grande. Simancas siente que el hecho de tener miembros de los medios en español tan respetados en el proyecto, podrá alcanzar un público más extenso aquí en los EE.UU. y también en América Latina. Sabe que hay tantos que se despiertan, escuchan las noticias y son entretenidos por los actores y protagonista de su canal.

Ella señala que no hay suficiente cobertura de la comunidad LGBT en los medios en español. Hay una necesidad, ella dice, que la comunidad se entere de nosotros y que sepan que tenemos el apoyo de nuestras familias, que somos amados, y que tenemos carreras exitosas. No todas las personas LGBT tienen familias que los aceptan, o una comunidad pero al compartir historias de los que si aceptan a la comunidad, espera poder mostrar que se puede lograr cuando las personas si salen y hablan de sus vidas.

También quiere alentar a nosotros los que luchamos por la aceptación, la equidad, el acceso y la justicia para que sigamos en la lucha por igualdad.

Puedes ver el video aquí:

Mandele un tweet de gracias al canal o a los que salen en el video: @Telemundo, @ileannasim, @adamrilopez,  @rashelDiaz,  @jorgeluispila,  @laurafloresmx, @gabrielcoronel, @gloriaperaltas

A lovely segment on Suelta la Sopa Extra on Telemundo featured an interview with Abigail, an Uruguayan trans woman who competed on the channel's reality show Yo Soy El Artista. Although Abigail was eliminated, she was given an opportunity to share her thoughts and experiences with the audience on Suelta la Sopa.

The co-host Jorge Bernal made a touching introduction to the portion of the program devoted to Abigail's personal story. Bernal thanked the producers and iconic singer Lucero, who is one of the judges, for allowing Abigail to present her story to encourage other struggling artists.

Abigail herself talked on camera about how hard it was for her to shake off the emotional response she had to one of the judge's questions. She explained that talking about her family, especially her beloved great-grandmother whose picture she carried with her to the interview, left her unable to gather the breath she needed to make it through the ballad she was given to sing.

She also spoke powerfully about her past including her mother's initial rejection of her when she was a teen to her current acceptance. Abigail turned to the camera and spoke directly to viewers asking them to "support their children's happiness and in that way find true happiness themselves."

We applaud the show and Abigail herself for presenting her story, as an artist leaving behind a career in her home country, a woman deeply rooted in her traditions and ancestors—and someone who also happens to be trans and can educate others about gender identity issues.

Support for LGBT youth started bright and early yesterday morning nationwide, and in multiple languages, with Today, The View, Good Morning America, The Talk, Un Nuevo Dia on Telemundo, and more.

"We're all wearing purple for #SpiritDay" -@NMoralesNBC explains. pic.twitter.com/u2cdbBzwfe

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 16, 2014

 

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With my "homie" @wesleyjoliver all smiles in #purple #spiritday @todayshow

View on Instagram

More ABC news videos | ABC Health News

In addition to spreading the word on-air, The View has been tweeting anti-bullying information and resources all day long:

#TheView is going purple for @GLAAD’s #SpiritDay! #ChooseKindness

— The View (@theviewtv) October 16, 2014

Take a stand against bullying and #ChooseKindness. In honor of @GLAAD's #SpiritDay, show us how you're 'going purple' to support LGBT youth.

— The View (@theviewtv) October 16, 2014

Today will be the first day the @EmpireStateBldg will go purple for #SpiritDay. #ChooseKindness

— The View (@theviewtv) October 16, 2014

#SpiritDay Fact: 8 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment while at school. #ChooseKindness

— The View (@theviewtv) October 16, 2014

In honor of #Spirit Day, learn how YOU can help end bullying. Check out ABC's #ChooseKindness campaign by visiting http://t.co/w70gYu8eNC

— The View (@theviewtv) October 16, 2014

Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Conseulos donned purple on The Kelly & Michael Show, too:

NBC affiliates, local and national, including CNBC and MSNBC, also went purple yesterday morning on air and online while Emmy-nominated actress and leading transgender advocate Laverne Cox was busy lighting the Empire State Building purple.

Spirit Day, which took place, October 16, inspires millions to wear purple or "go purple" online in a united stand against bullying and to show their support for LGBT youth. Each year, Spirit Day draws the participation of celebrities, corporations, media outlets, sports leagues, schools, faith institutions, national landmarks, and individuals. Spirit Day is made possible by the generous support of its national partners PepsiCo and Wells Fargo, as well as official partners Comcast-NBCUniversal and Google, and supporting partner American Eagle Outfitters.

Check out glaad.org/spiritday for more about how to stand against anti-LGBT bullying and follow @GLAAD on Twitter to keep up to date with #spiritday news!​

Wonder what we're up to at GLAAD? Be sure to check out GLAAD's Newsroom each week for updates about our latest work to build support for LGBT equality through news, entertainment and online media.

MTV's Faking It cast talks LGBT and intersex characters on GLAAD's new video series "GLAAD: All Access" 

Wonder what we're up to at GLAAD? Be sure to check out GLAAD's Newsroom each week for updates about our latest work to build support for LGBT equality through news, entertainment and online media.

Sarah Kate Ellis speaks about growing acceptance among faith communities

GLAAD's President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis spoke with The New York Times about the Duck-Dynasty-inspired "The Duck Commander Family Musical," and said, "The [Robertson] family has become symbolic of a much larger and somewhat dangerous problem of what we’re seeing in America — this issue of homophobia being masked as a religious value.” Ellis' statement illuminated the growing relationship between religious and LGBT communities. Ellis' statement was picked up by USA Today and many other national and LGBT outlets.

Tiq Milan honored at Hispanic Black Gay Coalition Gala
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Tiq Milan was honored at the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition's (HBGC) fifth annual gala, which honors individuals working to empower LGBT communities of color. The HBGC serves as a grassroots response to the lack of visibility, resources, and services for Black, Hispanic, and Latin LGBT individuals in the Greater Boston area. Milan received HBGC’s Audre Lorde Founder’s Award, which is dedicated to an up-and-coming advocate who has taken initiative to create change in LGBT communities of color.

GLAAD brings media to support Kristene Chapa
GLAAD worked with organizers of a rally in Texas that offered support for Kristene Chapa and Mollie Olgin, a female couple who were both shot in the head in 2012 in Portland, Texas. Local and national media joined people at the rally to see Kristene appear and speak at the rally while the pre-trial hearing was held for Kristene and Mollie's attacker. The rally raised funds for Chapa's medical expenses and shed light on this crime against an LGBT woman of color. 

GLAAD's trans advocacy in local journalism
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Dani Heffernan worked with the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a newspaper which recently published inaccurate, transphobic coverage of proposed trans-inclusive legislation. The Advocate cited GLAAD's ongoing work to improve the local paper's reporting practices regarding the trans community. "GLAAD joined local advocates in calling on the newspaper to use [a previous] incident as a 'teaching moment.' The group first initiated conversations with both an editor and that reader representative at The Plain Dealer, and then encouraged the newspaper’s staff to meet with a local LGBT group’s transgender advocate," wrote the outlet. GLAAD also met last year with the staffs of The New York Times  and the Los Angeles Times.

LGBT inclusion in Venezuela
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language and Latino Media Monica Trasandes was interviewed for the radio station, Radio Reflejos, in Venezuela. The company has become advocates with whom GLAAD has recently started working as part of our Global Voices work. Trasandes talked about GLAAD's work to ensure media inclusion. She also shared what she's learned from advocates in other countries in Central and Latin America. Advocates in Latin America look at GLAAD's model as an important one to help guide their own media advocacy efforts. 

Texas gets lesson on covering LGBT issues
GLAAD's Spanish-Language and Latino Media Strategist Janet Quezada spoke with English and Spanish-language media in San Antonio and Houston, Texas about how to fairly and accurately cover LGBT issues. She met with Telemundo and Univision, as well as with the Houston police department. Quezada worked closely with Equality Texas, a non-profit organization that lobbies the Texas legislature on LGBT issues, and other advocates to implement accurate coverage of the LGBT community in Texas.

Oregon's local media learns how to cover transgender issues
GLAAD's Senior Strategist Dani Heffernan worked with Basic Rights Oregon, a non-profit organization that advocates for the LGBT community in Oregon. Heffernan led her second informational webinar for local media in Oregon on respectful news coverage of transgender-related stories. The webinar covered respectful terminology, stereotypes to avoid, and brought attention to issues facing the transgender community in Oregon. This training will help ensure that Oregonians see fair and accurate stories of transgender people in their state.

GLAAD explains the annual TV report and what it means for the LGBT community
GLAAD's Director of Entertainment Media Matt Kane was interviewed by The Frame on LA's NPR affiliate KPCC.  Host Jon Horn talked to Kane about GLAAD's most recent television reports and the meaning behind the numbers, highlights from the new TV season, and how LGBT representation on television has improved over the last decade. "I think these numbers are really important to look at, especially compared to where they were five [or] 10 years ago. This gradual increase we've seen is really indicative of the general public's greater acceptance and increased understanding of the LGBT community," Kane said. Listen to the interview here.

GLAAD highlights new book on marriage equality
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist, Claire Pires, interviewed Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director of Freedom To Marry, an organization which advocates for marriage equality. The interview was for GLAAD's video series, GLAAD: All Access, which features interviews with newsmakers, hit-makers, and people making a difference. Solomon talked about his new book, Winning Marriage: The Inside Story of How Same-Sex Couples Took on the Politicians and Pundits - and Won, which gives readers an inside look into the campaign for marriage equality. The book clarifies the roots of the marriage equality movement and how it got to its present state. Pires and Solomon discussed the need for marriage equality in every state as another step towards equality for the LGBT community. Watch the interview here.

To get the latest updates and take part in GLAAD’s work to build support for LGBT equality, be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

At GLAAD we are often asked how LGBT equality is doing in Latino USA and in Spanish-speaking countries. The answer isn't simple, not a thumbs up or thumbs down. It's instead complex, just like the world in which we live. We've seen many setbacks and there's a lot of work to do, but we've also seen some hard-fought wins.

Let's take a minute to celebrate the high points. Here's our top ten list of moments that mattered in Spanish-Language and Latino media (and Latino culture) in 2014. There were lots of moments to include, so please do let us know if you want to remind us of an event or accomplishment that moved you.

Supreme!

In July, Puerto Rico saw appointment of openly gay Supreme court justice, Maité Oronoz Rodríguez. Not surprisingly, media in Puerto Rico covered her story fully, although much more could have been done nationally. The last few years have seen too many legal setbacks and crimes against LGBT people in Puerto Rico, so seeing the swearing in of out and proud Oronoz Rodríguez, surrounded by her family and hearing her thank her partner in her speech, was a much-needed win.

It's about love, not "controversy"

Coverage of marriage equality has improved over the years, and in 2014 it was nice to see the celebrity magazine TV Notas and other outlets like Mexico-based celebrity show Ventaneando treat the marriage of novela hunk Sebastian Ligarde the way they would treat any other marriage. It helps that Ligarde is so comfortable being out and has a very supportive (and big) family, including kids and grandkids who came to his wedding. Also on the marriage issue, beloved Telemundo on air judge Doctora Ana Maria Polo of Caso Cerrado, released a strong statement in both Spanish and English detailing her support for marriage equality. Polo, who has millions of fans on and off social media, argued that marriage equality only makes sense and, as she says on her show with a bang of the gavel, case closed.

Sing it, Tigres

A definite high-point came toward the end of the year when Los Tigres del Norte, the huge and respected regional band came out with an LGBT supportive song, "Era Diferente" on their album "Realidades." The song, which tells the story of a woman who's in love with another woman, sends a message of acceptance.

Gol!

FIFA's World Cup of Soccer in Brazil excited millions of fans but chants of an anti-gay pejorative by the Mexican team (and later by other teams) dampened things for LGBT fans. Univision, which televised the games, during which slurs could be heard, handled this issue in a great way and came out with a message of inclusion for LGBT viewers. Univision's on air commentators shared an inclusive message directed to their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender fans distancing themselves from the homophobic slurs.  

Now that's how you do Pride

This year Telemundo aired an amazing Pride video produced by Ileanna Simancas, daughter of Venezuelan telenovela actors and actress/producer in her own right, which featured on air talent and executives from the station who shared their love for their LGBT family members. The video was also aired during the popular morning show Un Nuevo Día, as the hosts talked about the importance of family acceptance.

Spirit!

This year we saw more Spanish-Language media support than ever for Spirit Day, including  respected journalist Maria Elena Salinas, who co-hosts the nationally televised Noticiero Univision and who tweeted a photo of herself in purple with a messages of support. We also saw segments on Noticierio Univision and on morning shows like Un Nuevo Día and other shows, that helped educate viewers on the importance of family acceptance and on the harmful effects of bullying and discrimination. Los Angeles station KMEX-34 did a great job on Spirit Day, even hosting a phone bank to connect LGBT people and their families to community services.

Big wins internationally

This year Ecuador's coalition of LGBT and allied activists led by Silueta X won a victory as the government sanctioned the channel TVAmazonas for airing an episode of a comedy sketch show called La Pareja Feliz/The Happy Couple which was denigrating to members of the LGBT community, the indigenous community and those who belong to both.

This was also a very big year in Peru, where Carlos Bruce came out. Bruce is a member of congress and former minister and also one of the main advocates for civil unions for same-sex couples. It was also the year when Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa wrote an op-ed that got lots of media attention, supporting relationship recognition.

Argentina's public television station aired the Premio Orgullo Ciudadano (Pride Citizen Awards) given out by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Federation of Argentina and held at the historic Teatro Maipo, a theater that continuously supports LGBT themed plays.

Colombian Youtube star Juan Pablo Jaramillo came out in 2014 and helped educate his millions of fans and started a dialogue in Colombian media.

Chile's LGBT group MOVILH (the movement for the liberation and integration of gay people, by its Spanish initials MOVILH) published and distributed, Nicolás Tiene Dos Papás, about a household headed by two dads, that got the conversation about equality going even more. Todo Mejora Chile and others have also made great strides in the past years shining a spotlight on the need for equality and acceptance. Demi Lovato even recorded this supportive message for her LGBT fans while she was on tour there.

Real and Inclusive

In 2014, we were very happy to see a transgender contestant on Telemundo's Yo Soy El Artista. Transgender singer and actress Abigail Pereira shared her story and the judges, including openly gay author Boris Izaguirre, as well as singer Lucero, applauded her for it.

Morning shows and popular advice segments are increasingly including information that includes LGBT viewers. See this example from morning show Un Nuevo Día that offers tax advice to LGBT couples. http://www.glaad.org/blog/inclusi%C3%B3n-telemundo-morning-show-offers-tax-info-lgbt-couples

Immigration reform inclusion

On the topic of immigration, more media outlets took into account the advocacy and participation of LGBT immigrants, who are still working hard along with the rest of the immigrant community for full, inclusive and permanent immigration reform. Huffington Post Voces, The Advocate and other outlets continue to share their stories in both Spanish and English.

On the Radio

Radio continues to be very important in Spanish-language media and programs like Al Aire con Tsi-Tsi-Ki, and hosts like Enrique Santos, Fernando Espuelas and others in Spanish as well as the lauded Latino USA and Radio Bilingue in English continue to share important stories about being Latino and LGBT.

GLAAD's Weekly Update on News, Entertainment and Online Media.  To subscribe, click here.

GLAAD leads conversation calling out TLC's irresponsible program

GLAAD shined light on the dangers of TLC's special, "My Husband's Not Gay," which sensationalized the lives of Mormon men, who reject their sexual orientation because, they say, their faith is unaccepting of gay people who live their lives authentically. GLAAD led a national conversation about the harms of so-called "reparative therapy" and the idea that one cannot be both LGBT and a person of faith. GLAAD also supported a Change.org petition created by "reparative therapy" survivor Josh Sanders, which amassed more than 125,000 signatures, calling on the dangerous show to be cancelled. "This show is downright irresponsible," GLAAD's president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter. "No one can change who they love, and, more importantly, no one should have to. By investing in this dangerous programming, TLC is putting countless young LGBT people in harm's way." Good Morning America, The View, The Talk, E!, Entertainment Tonight, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Cosmopolitan, USA Today, CNN Money, and many more cited GLAAD's advocacy on the issue, and Rolling Stone and the Salt Lake Tribune published notably thoughtful pieces on the subject, as well. Read more here.

Board of Directors Co-Chair thanked by Golden Globe winner as the whole world watches
Trans advocate, author, professor, and Board of Directors co-chair Jenny Boylan was thanked by Jeffrey Tambor, who won Best Actor in a Comedy, during his acceptance speech. Jeffrey, who worked closely with Jenny throughout the show and who reportedly based his character in part on her, said to Jenny, "Thank you. You led me through the steps to find more of Jeffrey than I've ever known in my entire life." Jenny was an advisor to the show to ensure well-rounded, educated representations of transgender people. While Jeffrey's speech, in which he dedicated his award to the transgender community, was widely covered, Rolling Stone, Slate, Xfinity Comcast, Windy City Times, Chris Geidner, and Colby College specifically noted his credit to Jenny. Washington Post even named it among the "top feminist moments at the 2015 Golden Globes." When Jill Soloway, creator of Transparent, and Tambor won, they both thanked the transgender community in emotional speeches, allowing the audience to acknowledge transgender people who have worked tirelessly to have their community heard. Read more here.

Tiq Milan speaks about the need for trans equality, honors Leelah Alcorn
GLAAD's spokesperson, Tiq Milan, appeared on MSNBC's News Nation with Tamron Hall as well as MSNBC'S Ronan Farrow following the tragic, untimely loss of trans teen Leelah Alcorn, to discuss the trans community and best practices for helping transgender youth as they come to terms with their identity. Tiq was also interviewed for MTV's website about gender identity, where he said, "I am acutely aware that there are places in this country where my marriage, my family and I are not protected simply because I am trans…As a Black man in the United States, there are a host of issues that I have to live in and contend with that intersect with the struggles endured by the trans community." Milan's personal approach brought a human voice to the intersectionality between race and LGBT issues to further educate the public on how to evoke change in these communities. Read more here.

Lee Daniels and Naomi Campbell of FOX's hit show, Empire, talk to GLAAD
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist, Claire Pires, interviewed Lee Daniels, the creator of FOX's new hit show, Empire, and Naomi Campbell, supermodel and actress in Empire, about the LGBT storyline in the show. The interviews were for GLAAD's video series, GLAAD: All Access, which features interviews with newsmakers, hit-makers, and people making a difference. Empire centers around a hip hop music company, and one of the main family members ("Jamal" played by Jussie Smollett) is an openly gay African American man fighting for acceptance. “This is not just TV for me, it’s my life that’s up there," Daniels said in the interview. Naomi Campbell plays "Camilla," who has an affair with the family's youngest son. Campbell has been an advocate for LGBT equality and presented this past April at the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles where she spoke out in support of Carmen Carrera and the inclusion of transgender models in fashion. The interviews were picked up by outlets, including Frontiers LA and Bustle.com. This show amplifies the experiences of LGBT youth of color, identities that are often excluded from mainstream media. Watch the interviews here.

Moving story of overcoming adversity in Texas gets attention
GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media team worked with Robert Salcido, the field organizer for the LGBT advocacy organization, Equality Texas, to bring his inspiring story to readers throughout the country. Salcido chronicles the painful time after his father's death when he came out to his mother who, at first, was hesitant to accept him, but then became brave enough to speak against homophobia in Texas. "I hope that, as my mom speaks up, so too will my neighbors and fellow Texas residents so that we can build communities free of discrimination that provide young people — and, really, all people — the security they need to be their true, best selves, in any place," Salcido wrote. The team placed his op-ed in the San Antonio Express News in English and Huffington Post Voces and La Opinion in Spanish. The story educates families of LGBT youth about how to advocate for equality among your family and in the community. Read more here.

To get the latest updates and take part in GLAAD’s work to build support for LGBT equality, be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

GLAAD's Weekly Update on News, Entertainment and Online Media.  To subscribe, click here.

Omar Sharif Jr. talks LGBT acceptance in Egypt after anti-LGBT raid

GLAAD's Director of Foundation Relations, Omar Sharif, Jr., was the featured guest on MSNBC's new online format, Shift, for the segment on the Egyptian acquittal of 26 men accused of “debauchery” amid national rallying for a freer, more equal Egyptian community. Sharif, Jr. began by explaining how he came out in Egypt before emphasizing the danger journalist Mona Iraqi caused after she corroborated with police and filmed men before they were raided by police. "She fabricated a story. This is dangerous, irresponsible, malicious, factitious reporting, and as a journalist with integrity (pointing to host Seema Iyer), this is a crime against the journalistic community," Sharif, Jr. said. Sharif, Jr. called the incident a "fabricated case" and "rushed trial" but was more circumspect about whether this meant a change in anti-LGBT sentiment in Egypt. Sharif, Jr.'s appearance educated audiences about what it's like to identify as LGBT in Egypt and emphasized the need for accurate media coverage to portray the LGBT community fairly. Watch the interview here.

Chile prepares for reality show about LGBT couples
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media, Monica Trasandes, met with Chilean LGBT advocates Juan Pablo Fuentealba and Julio Cezar Dantas, who will be the stars of an upcoming reality show, “Happy Together” in Chile. The reality show will focus on LGBT couples in Chile, and Trasandes specifically met with them to discuss how to answer the media's questions about being an LGBT couple in Chile. Trasandes had worked with the couple before for several months as they prepared to film the reel for the reality show, which starts taping this week. Juan Pablo and Julio have both led and are now part of the foundation for the group Todo Mejora Chile, or It Gets Better in Chile, which aims to stop LGBT suicide and anti-LGBT bullying. In the show, their goal is to help audiences understand LGBT life in Chile beyond the marriage debates of the past few years. They’re considering having kids, which will be one of the show’s themes. Trasandes' meeting with them helps them articulate to the media what it's like to be an LGBT couple to further debunk stereotypes. Watch the trailer for the program here.

GLAAD speaks about harms of speculating on gender identity
GLAAD CEO & President, Sarah Kate Ellis, responded to recent media coverage speculating about former Olympic athlete and reality TV star Bruce Jenner's gender identity. "This nonsense has to end," Ellis said. "Speculating about a person’s gender identity only inflames the invasive and gross scrutiny that transgender people face every day at school, at work, or even when just walking down the street. It’s long past time that media outlets stop gossiping about Bruce Jenner’s gender." Ellis' statement, which was picked up by numerous outlets including The Washington Post and USA Today, emphasizes the importance of fair and accurate reporting about transgender people. Read more here.

Hello Mr. magazine editor says print journalism still matters
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist, Claire Pires, interviewed Ryan Fitzgibbon, the founder and creative director of Hello Mr. magazine, a print publication that is issued semi-annually and contains personal essays, poems, and fictional pieces for the LGBT community. Fitzgibbon says that despite the ubiquitous new websites and apps, print publications still matter. "It's easy to get lost in the space like the Internet because it's so saturated and so loud, but there's something really quiet and nice and matter of fact about the way Hello Mr. covers come together and live on a newsstand," Fitzgibbon said. He shared that as he was growing up, he always tried to find print publications with articles of people he could identify with, which is a main reason he started the publication. The interview emphasizes the need for LGBT people to document their personal stories in print to keep a history for a fair and accurate portrayal of their lives. Watch the interview here.

Marriage equality topic gains viewers in Spanish-speaking communities
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media, Monica Trasandes, worked with the Spanish-Language cable news network, NTN24, which reaches 40 million viewers in North and South America, and San Francisco's radio station KIQI 1010 to find and book guests that could discuss the legal questions related to marriage equality and the Supreme Court. Finding LGBT Spanish-speaking people to discuss marriage equality educates audiences and personalizes the efforts for equality, which further humanizes the movement.

Openly gay Cuban editor of People en Espanol magazine talks about experience
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist, Claire Pires, interviewed Armando Correa, openly gay Cuban editor of People en Espanol magazine, the Spanish-Language magazine with the largest readership in the United States. Correa spoke on camera for the first time about raising children with his partner of twenty-nine years and what it's like to be openly gay and in a high-profile position in the Latino community. "It's very emotional every time someone says 'You're inspiring me. You are in a position that I never think, because I am gay, I am going to get," Correa said. Correa answered questions in English and Spanish, and the Spanish version was published on The Huffington Post Voces. The interview humanizes the experience of an LGBT person in the Latino community and allows both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking audiences to be culturally educated. Watch the English-version and Spanish-version.

Floridians hear from kids of LGBT parents
GLAAD's Spanish-Language Media team, Monica Trasandes and Janet Quezada, worked with Telemundo's Florida affiliate, Telemundo 51, to find and book lesbian and gay families on a segment to air in the following weeks about what it is like to be raised by LGBT parents. Since marriage equality began in Florida at the beginning of the year, the department has fielded multiple requests as shows seek to provide their audiences with people impacted by these decisions. The department's efforts to book kids of LGBT parents helps Florida's Latino population, which makes up 23% of the state, understand what it's like to be a Latino kid of LGBT parents and allows the media to portray families accurately.

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One simple graphic shows the anti-LGBT animus behind Indiana's new law

Indiana Governor Mike Pence has repeatedly claimed that his state's "religious liberty" law does not target LGBT people or same-sex couples. However, Twitter user @seamonkey237 used a photo of the signing ceremony and information from GLAAD's Commentator Accountability Project to demonstrate otherwise. The graphic makes note of three leading anti-LGBT activists, Micah Clark, Curt Smith, and Eric Miller, and the extreme anti-LGBT comments they have made. GLAAD has been a leader in this conversation with mentions in various outlets. For example, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis joined the Indianapolis Star's Matthew Tully and Tim Lanane, Democratic leader in the Indiana State Senate, to discuss the law on MSNBC's show "Now with Alex Wagner." Also on television, FOX Business has aired the graphic, Al Sharpton mentioned the graphic on MSNBC's show "PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton," and CNN's Chris Cuomo used information from the graphic during "New Day," as well as his one-hour special devoted to the law. He also confronted both the Governor and the Lt. Governor of Indiana with GLAAD's data about the anti-LGBT activists at the signing. GLAAD's efforts have been mentioned in outlets including USA Today, The Huffington Post, New York Magazine, The Indianapolis Star, and Advocate. Read more here.

Monica Trasandes comments on Indiana law for Latino audience
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes appeared on "Realidades en Contexto" on CNN en Español to talk about the religious exemption law that was passed in Indiana and its potential impact. Trasandes felt the need to participate because while the story is getting a lot of traction in Spanish-language media, many of the segments have not included LGBT spokespeople. Watch part one and part two.

Ross Murray pens piece on what Bob Jones' apology means 35 years later
Last week, Bob Jones III, former president of Bob Jones University, apologized for statements he made in 1980, calling for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) to be stoned to death. GLAAD's Director of Programs Ross Murray wrote and published an op-ed in a South Carolina newspaper The Greenville News, discussing what this apology means 35 years after the statement was made. While Bob Jones University is nowhere near to affirming LGBT people, Jones' apology does signify an important step toward acceptance, especially within religious circles. Read more here.

Matt Kane and Nick Adams highlight television's LGBT-inclusive storytelling on the radio
GLAAD's Director of Entertainment Media Matt Kane and GLAAD's Director of Communications Nick Adams were interviewed separately on KPCC's The Frame. Kane discussed the GLAAD Media Awards, GLAAD's work in the entertainment industry, and the rise of LGBT representation on television, in addition to GLAAD's first-ever award recognition for a video game. Adams discussed the increase in the number of transgender roles following the success of shows like "Orange is the New Black" and "Transparent." The segment with Adams also featured interviews with "Transparent" creator Jill Soloway and actress Alexandra Billings and discussed how these roles may present new opportunities for transgender actors. Listen to Kane here and Adams here.

Latino LGBT families get recognition during Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Parent's Day
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada are connecting LGBT Latino families with media outlets for Mother's Day, Father's Day and Parent's Day to ensure that coverage includes diverse family structures with LGBT people. One of the stories is about two Latino dads who raised four boys. The team shared their story featured in The Huffington Post with producers at Telemundo, who then decided to produce a piece about this family. Read more here.

GLAAD interviews creator and actor from USA's DIG about gay character
GLAAD's Video & News Strategist Claire Pires interviewed Gideon Raff, openly gay creator of USA's series "DIG," and Ori Pfeffer, who plays Detective Golan Cohen on the series. Pires filmed and edited the interview for GLAAD's video series, GLAAD: All Access. Raff and Pfeffer talked about the intersection of religion and LGBT issues as it pertains to Pfeffer's character, who just came out as gay on last week's episode. The video was picked up by Out. Watch the interview here.

GLAAD Media Awards Latino winners participate in #ATuLado campaign
GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media Monica Trasandes and Strategist Janet Quezada have reached out to all of the nominees and winners that were announced during the 26^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles through social media channels to increase their participation in the #ATuLado campaign, GLAAD's Spanish-language campaign to engage LGBT people and allies. As part of this effort, Monica Trasandes published a piece in Huffington Post Voces about the campaign and the awards. Read more here.

To get the latest updates and take part in GLAAD’s work to build support for LGBT equality, be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!