We're kicking things off with an award show that recognizes equality and representation in Hollywood, the GLAAD Media Awards!
Niecy Nash to Host
The newlywed Niecy Nash, the actress best known for her roles in Selma and Scream Queens, will be hosting the virtual award show.
Celebrating Representation
The award show recognizes content that represents the LGBTQIA+ community fairly and accurately. Even though it will be a virtual ceremony, there'll still be lots of star power, from Demi Lovato to a Glee cast reunion, celebrating the late Naya Rivera.
Expect presenters like Jojo Siwa, Katy Perry, and Jaymes' fiancée Jonathan Bennett! Bennett's film The Christmas House is nominated for best TV movie. Advocate Channel sat down with Bennett and many of this year's nominees!
"I can only imagine what younger me would have thought, sitting in Ohio, watching Christmas movies with his parents, and seeing a storyline that looks like me on screen" Bennett said of his film.
In the feature film categories, nominees include The Craft Legacy, Happiest Season, The Prom, and The Boys in the Band!
"These are nine unique gay experiences, and I feel like that's groundbreaking, in the past you would see one gay character", said Tuc Watkins of Boys in the Band.
We also sat down with Burl Moseley, the star of the nominated film Happiest Season, who added, "I love when the media I consume and the media that I watch and everything that's out there, when I can actually look at it, and the world I live in, and they look similar".
Lovie Simone of The Craft: Legacy said she appreciated the inclusivity and diversity of the cast.
James Corden on 'The Prom'
The Late Late Show host, who stars in 'The Prom' added, "the message of the film is to accept everybody for who they are regardless of who they love"
Also among the nominees are Hulu'sLove Victor, Netflix'sQueer Eye, and RuPaul's Drag Race. Michael Cimino, who plays Victor, added "be who you are, and you will be the happiest version of yourself".
We'll find out who wins when the GLAAD media awards stream today on YouTube and Hulu!
A Look at GLAAD
Jaymes sat down with Anthony Ramos, the Head of Talent at GLAAD, and asked why it's important for GLAAD to have its own award show.
"You know the power of media is so strong, and we know that the more well done and inclusive stories and representations that are out there for the LGBTQ community, the more change that we can bring to happen"
As to whether we are seeing more and better representations of LGBTQ people on screen, this is what Ramos had to say:
"Jaymes, I think what's important to recognize is that we're seeing more stories of LGBTQ people on television and in film, in moments of triumph. They're thriving, LGBT people are no longer the butt of a joke. A movie like The Christmas House, with your fiancée Jonathan in it, having an LGBTQ storyline on a network like Hallmark, in a genre like holiday which is so beloved and so consumed by the masses, that's what we're seeing more of"
You can check out the GLAAD media awards today, April 8th!
For more from our Equality Spotlight, click here.
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