GLAAD ANNOUNCES 2011 NOMINEES

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has announced the nominees for its 22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards, honouring the best of gay themed film, television and music.

By recognising and honouring media for outstanding images of the LGBT community, the awards aim to serve as a benchmark for the media industry.

In the film category, nominees include the Golden Globe-winning The Kids Are All Right, Burlesque, with Cher, I Love You Phillip Morris, starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, Howl, starring James Franco, Easy A and The Girl Who Played with Fire.

True Blood, Glee, Modern Family, Brothers & Sisters, Grey’s Anatomy and 30 Rock were among the shows nominated in the television field. Season eight of Project Runway, The Oprah Winfrey Show (for Ricky Martin’s first televised interview after coming out) and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 were also honoured.

The band Scissor Sisters and country music singer Chely Wright – who came out as lesbian last year – were among those nominated in the music category.

The GLAAD Media Awards will also celebrate GLAAD’s 25th anniversary this year, looking back at a quarter-century of work to build acceptance and advance equality through LGBT images in the media.

“This year’s nominees represent some of the images and stories at the root of the growing acceptance of our community and support for our equality,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios.

“They also have created a benchmark for inclusion of our community that other media outlets should look to. As GLAAD celebrates 25 years of working with the media, we are proud to recognise this year’s nominees, and we challenge the industry to share more stories that reflect the diversity of our community and the challenges that gay and transgender people face.”

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 19; in San Francisco on May 14 and in Los Angeles at a date to be announced.

Click here to view all the nominees.