Jennifer Lopez, Laverne Cox Honored at 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

LGBT advocates from Uganda and Russia accept awards

Los Angeles, Sunday, April 13, 2014 – GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, honored Jennifer Lopez, Laverne Cox, Norman Lear, and the best in film and television at the 25^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong'o, Ellen Page, Rita Moreno, Naomi Campbell, Johnny Galecki, and Chaz Bono were among the special guests. The 25^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented nationally by Ketel One Vodka, Wells Fargo, and Hilton Worldwide. The Los Angeles event is presented locally by Delta Air Lines and Bud Light.

Photographs from the 25^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles may be found immediately at www.wireimage.com or www.glaad.org/mediaawards/recap.  Video clips of the ceremonies may be found at www.youtube.com/glaad.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD's work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.

At the ceremony, Rita Moreno presented Jennifer Lopez with GLAAD's Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

In her acceptance speech Lopez said, "I really want to thank GLAAD for the all of the important, daring, powerful work that you do – not only in mainstream media but in Spanish-language media too. Yes, you all need to know that GLAAD is spreading the message of love and acceptance, in English and en español. Si, el amor es el amor." Lopez continued, "The world is changing and that's because love is stronger than hate, as we've heard many times tonight. There's never been a truer statement made. Love is love and that's what I tell my children every day. It's what we have to make everyone understand, so our world can be a better, safer, more diverse, more inclusive and more loving place – and we are on our way."

Also at the event, out actress Ellen Page presented Laverne Cox with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award. In accepting the award Cox said, "Thank you so much GLAAD for this amazing honor, I'm so happy to accept the Stephen F. Kolzak Award this evening." Cox continued, "I'm still not used to getting awards. I'm an African American, transgender woman from a working class background raised by a single mother. We are not programmed to think we should receive these kinds of awards – but I like to think that things are changing."

GLAAD also recognized legendary TV writer and producer Norman Lear with its Pioneer Award. Manny de Guerre, founder of the Side by Side LGBT Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, received the inaugural International Advocate for Change Award.

Lupita Nyong'o presented the award for Outstanding Documentary to two films who tied in the category, Call Me Kuchu and Bridegroom. Ugandan LGBT advocate John "Longjones" Abdallah Wambere accepted the award for Call Me Kuchu, along with co-directors Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. Shane Bitney Crone and director Linda Bloodworth-Thomason accepted the award for Bridegroom. Johnny Galecki presented the award for Outstanding Drama Series to Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg, the co-creators of ABC Family's The Fosters, who accepted with cast members Teri Polo and Sherri Saum.

TV personality Ross Mathews hosted the event. Special guests included: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave); Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory); Naomi Campbell (The Face); Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris (Orphan Black); Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey); Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart; Natasha Henstridge (The Secret Circle); James Frain (Intruders); Alex Newell (Glee); Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries); Maria Menounos (Chasing Maria Menounos); Sherri Saum, Teri Polo, Peter Paige, Bradley Bredeweg (The Fosters); Lucas Neff (Raising Hope); Meghan McCain (Take Part Live); singer Debby Boone; Caitlin Stasey (Please Like Me); Luke Newberry (In the Flesh); author and transgender advocate Chaz Bono; Shane Bitney Crone, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (Bridegroom); Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall, John "Longjones" Abdallah Wambere (Call Me Kuchu); Charlie Condou (Coronation Street); Sophie Ward (Jane Eyre); Pratibha Parmar (Nina's Heavenly Delights); Jill Soloway, Amy Landecker, Ian Harvie (Transparent); Kate Mansi, Guy Wilson (Days of Our Lives); trans advocates Calpernia Addams, Andrea James; Husbands creators Brad Bell, Jane Espenson; comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer; trans model Carmen Carrera; trans singer Our Lady J; GLAAD National Spokespersons, Wilson Cruz and Omar Sharif, Jr., and GLAAD CEO & President Sarah Kate Ellis.  DJ Tracy Young was the guest DJ at the after-party.

Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Saturday in Los Angeles.  Additional awards will be presented in New York on May 3.

• Pioneer Award:  Norman Lear
• Vanguard Award:  Jennifer Lopez
• Stephen F. Kolzak Award:  Laverne Cox
• International Advocate for Change Award: Manny de Guerre
• Outstanding Drama Series:  The Fosters (ABC Family)  [accepted by: co-creators Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg, with stars Sherri Saum and Teri Polo]
• Outstanding Documentary:  TIE:  Bridegroom (Virgil Films / OWN)  [accepted by: Shane Bitney Crone and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason] and Call Me Kuchu (Cinedigm) [accepted by: co-directors Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall, and Ugandan activist John "Longjones" Abdallah Wambere]
• Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series:  Behind the Candelabra (HBO)
• Outstanding Reality Program:  Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce (Fuse)
• Outstanding Daily Drama:  Days of Our Lives (NBC)
• Outstanding Newspaper Article:  "LGBTQ in the Capital" (series) by Melissa Griffiths (Juneau Empire [Juneau, Alaska])
• Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia:  "We Are Here: LGBTI in Uganda" by Sunnivie Brydum, D. David Robinson (Advocate.com)
• Outstanding Music Artist:  Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob (Warner Bros. Records)
• Outstanding Comic Book:  Young Avengers, written by Kieron Gillen (Marvel Comics)

SPANISH-LANGUAGE NOMINEES

• Outstanding Talk Show Interview:  TIE:  "Debate por la igualdad" Al Punto (Univision) and "Decisión Histórica" Sin Límites con Elizabeth Espinosa (CNN Latino)
• Outstanding Local TV Journalism:  "Natalia: rompiendo barreras" Noticiero Telemundo Arizona (KTAZ-39 [Phoenix, Ariz.])
• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment:  "Decisión Histórica" Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo)
• Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia:  "Eric y Juan, un matrimonio feliz a pesar de todo" by Fernando Mexia (EFE.com)
• To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.
• The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. They also fund GLAAD's work to amplify stories from the LGBT community that build support for equality.  Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York and Los Angeles bring together more than 3,000 advocates and allies to raise critical funds for the organization's work.

More than 100 corporate partners are showing their support, including National Presenting partners Ketel One Vodka, Wells Fargo and Hilton Worldwide; and New York and Los Angeles Presenting partners Delta Air Lines and Bud Light. GLAAD is also grateful to the 25^th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Platinum Underwriter partners Sheppard Mullin and the Terry K. Watanabe Charitable  Trust, Underwriter partners A&E Lifetime, Allstate Insurance Company, AT&T, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Comcast/NBC Universal, Prudential and PwC. Titanium Partners ABC-Disney Television Group, Fox Broadcasting Company and Time Warner. Gold partners 1800 Flowers, CBS/Showtime, ESPN, HBO, Skadden, Univision and the Wasserman Foundation, and Silver partners Citi and MLB. For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner, purchase tickets, and place a tribute in the tribute book, please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.