GAGA, GLEE AMONG GLAAD MEDIA AWARD NOMINEES

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the U.S. LGBT media advocacy and anti-defamation organisation, has announced the nominees for its 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards.

The awards recognise and honour media for outstanding images of the LGBT community, and serve as a benchmark for the media industry when it comes to LGBT issues and representation.

Among this year’s 151 nominees are the films Beginners, starring Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor, Albert Nobbs, starring Glenn Close and Janet McTeer and J. Edgar, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Armie Hammer.

Limited release features such as the acclaimed Pariah and the film Weekend also made the grade.

TV productions and series include Shameless, The Big C, Glee, Modern Family, NCIS, Becoming Chaz, the AIDS documentary We Were Here, Dancing with the Stars with Carson Kressley and Chaz Bono and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360.

On the music front GLAAD nominated Lady Gaga for her Born This Way album and Ricky Martin for his album Música + Alma + Sexo.

“This year’s nominees enlighten and entertain, while spotlighting the diversity of our community,” said Mike Thompson, GLAAD’s Acting President.

“Audiences expect to see their own worlds reflected in media, and today more than ever, those include the lives of LGBT people. Viewers know that LGBT characters and stories are simply natural extensions of, and glimpses into, their own experiences from across America.”

The 2012 GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in New York on March 24; in Los Angeles on April 21; and in San Francisco on June 2. Special Honourees for each city will be announced in the coming weeks.

Watch a video of some of the nominees below.