GLAAD wrapped up the third of its three annual Media Awards presentations with a star-studded event in San Francisco on Saturday night.
Glee star
Dianna Agron hosted the gala, with fellow celebs
Mario Lopez and
Rita Moreno,
Days of Our Lives’ Chandler Massey and
Freddie Smith,
Happy Endings’ Adam Pally,
Scandal‘s
Kerry Washington, out actors
Sean Maher (
The Playboy Club) and
Guillermo Diaz (Scandal),
Pretty Little Liars’ Shay Mitchell, Ian Harding and
Amber Benson, the band
fun., MSNBC’s
Thomas Roberts, trans writer
Janet Mock, and LGBT advocates
Jennifer Tyrrell and
Zach Wahls all in attendance.
Among the recipients were
Days of Our Lives, which was honored for the coming-out storyline involving teenager Will Horton, and
Shonda Rhimes, who was presented the Golden Gate Award by Washington, Diaz and
Scandal castmate
Katie Lowes. “I think that love is universal. And I think in telling LGBT stories, I’m telling everyone’s story,” said Rhimes. “I want my daughters to grow up in a world in which there is more love than hate. I want them to know a world where everyone is free. So that’s why I write the stories that I do.”
In addition,
Grey’s Anatomy won Outstanding Dramatic Series, while Mun 2’s
Las Aparicio won Outstanding Telenovela and Outstanding Digital Journalism Article went to the Huffington Post for Adam Rosenthal’s “Adam and Pete: Love in a Time of War.”
Spirit Day creator
Brittany McMillan presented a Special Recognition Award to
Facebook for the company’s strong support of its LGBT users. Facebook COO
Sheryl Sandberg called the honor “incredibly important” in a recorded acceptance speech, saying she was “thankful that GLAAD has recognized our commitment to helping young people make safe, smart and responsible choices online and offline.”
There were several opportunities for guests to get up close and personal with the stars—Agron auctioned off a kiss, while Moreno offered a dinner at her home and Lopez auctioned off a Dream Day on behalf of Barefoot Wines.
Click through for more images from the 23rd annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco
Photos: Wireimages for GLAAD
Hank Scott
It’s a shame that this badly managed and utterly irrelevant organization continues to suck scarce dollars out of the gay community that could go to organizations like GLSEN or the Task Force that actually do something. GLAAD needs to realize that its focus on Hollywood and the so-called main stream media is irrelevant. There is no homophobia in a newspaper worlds where over 1,000 dailies publish gay and lesbian weddings and in a Hollywood world where gay people are among the most powerful decision makers. But I guess hanging out with Mario Lopez for an evening must be fun.
Brandon
I agree Hank Scott. GLAAD is an embarrassment to the LGBT community and yes the money could go to LGBT groups that actually help people like the Trevor project and GLSEN.