AN INSTITUTE OF CHANGE
THREE DECADES
OF CHANGE
GLAAD has learned a lot since its founding in 1985 about the media’s role in changing hearts and minds. GLAAD demonstrated not only media’s powerful influence—impacting how people treat others, how they vote, and their daily decisions—but our own authoritative potential to lead the conversation, reshape the narrative, and ultimately, change the culture.
Now it’s time to share that experience more widely, giving people the tools they need to break barriers, champion acceptance, and amplify media impact in today’s culture.
– SARAH KATE ELLIS, PRESIDENT & CEO, GLAAD
WHAT
WE DO
The GLAAD Media Institute enables people to build the core skills and techniques that effectuate positive cultural change. This is accomplished through three pillars:
TRAINING
Spokesperson and media engagement education for effective storytelling
CONSULTING
Serving industries, corporations, and organizations positioned to take a stand for justice
RESEARCH
Fielding studies, evaluating data, and developing metrics to strengthen our mission and drive action
IMPACT
A nationwide network of 20,000 LGBTQ and allied students, activists, and spokespeople who can move hearts and minds in national and local media markets
Accurate, inclusive stories and messages in media outlets that increase and enhance representation of LGBTQ people
More educated film, TV show, and video game creators to produce compelling, entertaining LGBTQ characters that do not reinforce common stereotypes
Improved reporting and understanding of LGBTQ people and non-discrimination policies by national and local publications and media outlets
A database of research and resources including media guides on best practices, fair and accurate reporting, opposition materials, and responsibility indexes
TRAINING
ACTIVATE, NAVIGATE, AND INITIATE SOCIAL CHANGE
Nothing is more powerful than the personal stories that humanize our community.
Moving hearts and minds involves so much more than just supporting social justice. It requires the skills to uncover, hone, and communicate your narrative. It demands a keen understanding of your audience and the complexities of today’s media machine. It calls for dedicated follow-up to ensure that your message goes the distance, stays on-target, and is being leveraged and amplified consistently across multiple media platforms.
Using the best practices, tools, and techniques we’ve perfected over the past 30 years, the GLAAD Media Institute turns education into armor for today’s culture war—transforming individuals into compelling storytellers, media-savvy navigators, and mighty ambassadors whose voices break through the noise and incite real change.
GLAAD Media Institute in Action
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GLAAD Media Institute Training
Upcoming Training
Training Dates and Locations:
- Sept. 9, 2025: Durango, CO – Register Now
- Sept. 11, 2025: Colorado Springs, CO – Register Now
GLAAD Media Institute Online Learning Hub
Taught by GLAAD Media Institute Experts
CONSULTING:
WE MEAN BUSINESS
Using the best practices, tools, and techniques we’ve perfected over the past 30 years, the GLAAD Media Institute turns education into armor for today’s culture war—transforming individuals into compelling storytellers, media-savvy navigators, and mighty ambassadors whose voices break through the noise and incite real change.
Advising
We work with businesses on how to make smart, researched decisions before launching new products, services, and marketing campaigns.
Coaching
We train corporate spokespeople to use best practices on message-making and narrative development.”
Behind-the-Scenes
We work with the television, film, and video game industries to ensure casting reflects the new realities of this generation, and that LGBTQ character presence is authentic.
Training
We train newsrooms and journalists on appropriate current terminology, and how to report on critical issues including hate crimes, nondiscrimination laws, marriage equality, and HIV.
RESEARCH
You can’t move what you can’t measure.
The more we know and understand about the state of acceptance, the more effectively GLAAD can fulfill its mission.
GLAAD currently publishes several reports yearly. Since 2014, we’ve partnered with the Harris Poll to track nationwide sentiments and comfortability surrounding the LGBTQ community, sharing the results in the Accelerating Acceptance report. Other key resources include the Where We Are on TV report analyzing diversity across broadcast and cable networks and streaming services, and the GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index (SRI), a road map toward increasing fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBTQ representation in film.
As the GLAAD Media Institute builds a new network of ambassadors nationwide, our ability to collect data at a granular level will improve. With an expanded, enhancedability to field custom research that best meets the needs of our clients and audience, our goal is to create a more robust, proactive research arm that can undergird and inform more impactful work across communities…and beyond.
2025 Social Media Safety Index The annual GLAAD Social Media Safety Index & Platform Scorecard evaluates six major social media platforms: TikTok, X, YouTube, and Meta’s Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, providing findings and recommendations for social media companies to improve LGBTQ safety, privacy, and expression online. Continue Reading… Table of…
2024 Visibility Perceptions in Advertising In this report, we learn directly from industry leaders how (or even if) advertising budgets targeting the LGBTQ community have changed, whose stories and depictions the industry prioritizes within advertising, and how brands are responding to the backlash and challenges facing the industry today. Continue…
GLAAD’s Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker Disclaimer: Readers should be aware that the following report contains details of hate speech and violence targeting LGBTQ people. Please skip to the final report section “Combating Anti-LGBTQ Hate” if you wish to avoid that content. On June 1, 2022, GLAAD’s ALERT Desk began tracking…
2024 Studio Responsibility Index The GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) maps the quantity, quality and diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) characters in films released by ten major motion picture studios during the 2023 calendar year. GLAAD researched films released by A24, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+, Lionsgate,…
2024 State of HIV Stigma Report This marks the fifth year that GLAAD, with Gilead Sciences and the Gilead COMPASS Initiative®, have tracked Americans’ knowledge and attitudes around HIV and HIV stigma. Ending stigma and increasing public education about HIV remain urgent, and the keys are found in using media…
Accelerating Acceptance 2024 Launched in 2015, the GLAAD Media Institute’s 2024 Accelerating Acceptance report is an annual barometer on the state of support for LGBTQ Americans and equality. This report touches on community support, negative impacts of political discourse and the importance of media exposure in changing hearts and minds.…
GLAAD, in collaboration with Athlete Ally and Pride House France, created the guide to ensure inclusive, fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ athletes and topics during the 2024 Summer Olympics (July 26-August 11) and Paralympics (August 28-September 8) in Paris, France. With more than 150 out LGBTQ olympians expected to compete for the…
2024 Social Media Safety Index In addition to the annual Platform Scorecard ratings and recommendations, this year’s Social Media Safety Index (SMSI) report provides an overview of the current state of LGBTQ social media safety, privacy, and expression, including sections on: the economy of hate and disinformation, predominant anti-LGBTQ tropes,…
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