GLAAD () is an American
non-governmental media monitoring organization. Originally founded as a protest against defamatory coverage of
gay and
lesbian
A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
demographics and their portrayals in the media and entertainment industries, it has since expanded to
queer
''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are non-heterosexual or non- cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against LGBTQ people in the late 19th century. From the late 1980s, queer activists began to ...
,
bisexual, and
transgender people.
History
Formed in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
as Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in 1985 to protest against what it saw as the ''
New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative
daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
''s defamatory and sensationalized
AIDS coverage, GLAAD put pressure on media organizations to end what it saw as
homophobic reporting. Initial meetings were held in the homes of several New York City activists as well as after-hours at the
New York State Council on the Arts.
This core founding group included film scholar
Vito Russo; translator
Gregory Kolovakos, then on the staff of the NYS Arts Council and who later became the organization's first executive director;
Jewelle Gomez, the organization's first treasurer; writers Darrell Yates Rist, Marcia Pally and
Allen Barnett;
''
New York Native'' then-editor Barry Adkins; Russo's fellow
Gay Activists Alliance veterans
Arnie Kantrowitz,
Marty Robinson, Jim Owles and Hal Offen; and music critic Bruce Michael-Gelbert.
In 1987, after a meeting with GLAAD, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' changed its editorial policy to use the word "gay" instead of harsher terms referring to homosexuality. GLAAD advocated that the ''
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
'' and other television and print news sources follow. GLAAD's influence soon spread to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, where organizers began working with the entertainment industry to change the way the gay and lesbian community were portrayed on screen.
''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' has named GLAAD as one of Hollywood's most powerful entities, and the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' described GLAAD as "possibly one of the most successful organizations lobbying the media for inclusion".
Within the first five years of its founding in New York as the ''Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation League'' (soon after changed to "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" after legal pressure by the
Anti-Defamation League), GLAAD chapters had been established in Los Angeles and other cities, with the LA chapter becoming particularly influential due to its proximity to the California entertainment industry. GLAAD/NY and GLAAD/LA would eventually vote to merge in 1994, with other city chapters joining soon afterward; however, the chapters continue to exist, with the ceremonies of the
GLAAD Media Awards being divided each year into three ceremonies held in New York City, Los Angeles and
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
.
Following the 2011 resignation of
Jarrett Barrios from the GLAAD presidency, Mike Thompson served as interim president until the announcement of Herndon Graddick, previously GLAAD's vice-president of Programs and Communications, to the presidency on April 15, 2012. Graddick is the younger son of
Charles Graddick of
Mobile, a circuit court judge and the former
attorney general of Alabama.
In 2013, the year GLAAD changed its name from ''Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation'' to GLAAD, and
Jennifer Finney Boylan was chosen as the first openly transgender co-chair of GLAAD's National Board of Directors.
Name change
On March 24, 2013, GLAAD announced that it had formally dropped the "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" from their name and would now be known only as GLAAD to reflect their work more accurately; the name change was a commitment to incorporate
bisexual and
transgender people in their efforts to support the
LGBTQ+ community in its entirety.
Executives
Sarah Kate Ellis is the current president and CEO of GLAAD.
Ellis took the positions in 2014 and under her leadership GLAAD's revenue grew by 38%. In 2015, Ellis promoted Nick Adams to the newly created position of director of transgender media & representation. Adams started working at GLAAD in 1998 and had previously been GLAAD's director of communications & special projects.
In 2022, Ellis renegotiated her contract with GLAAD, receiving a $150,000 signing bonus and an average annual salary of $441,000 per year, increasing by 5% each year.
In August 2024, GLAAD and Ellis were the subjects of a
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
report that explored the organization's reimbursements of Ellis's "pattern of lavish spending", including luxury travel, home renovations and vacation property rentals. In response, GLAAD released a statement defending their commitment to Ellis's leadership and their payments towards her expenses. A subsequent
Washington Blade op-ed by former GLAAD vice-president Zeke Stokes contested
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
reporting as "riddled with bad reporting, innuendo, lies, mistruths, facts out of context, and misinformation."
;GLAAD/NY executive directors (1985–1994)
*
Gregory Kolovakos (1985–1987)
* Craig Davidson (1987–1990)
* Ellen Carton (1991–1995)
;GLAAD early board members/officers
* Christopher Borden Paine (1985–?)
* Amy Bauer (1986–?)
;GLAAD/LA executive directors (pre-1994)
* Richard Jennings and Jehan Agrama (1989–1992)
* Peter M. Nardi (1992–1993)
* Lee Werbel (1993–1994)
;Post-merger (1994–present)
* William Waybourn (as national managing director; 1995 – 1997)
* Joan M. Garry (1997 – June 2005)
*
Neil Giuliano (September 2005 – June 2009)
*
J. Michael Durnil (interim; June – September 2009)
*
Jarrett Barrios (September 2009 – June 2011)
* Mike Thompson (acting) (June 2011 – 2012)
* Herndon Graddick (April 2012 – May 2013)
* Kurt Wentzell (June 2000 - September 2022)
* Dave Montez (May 2013 – November 2013)
*
Sarah Kate Ellis (2013 – present)
;Other executives
* Scott Seomin
* John Sonego
Programs
GLAAD Media Awards

The
GLAAD Media Awards were established in 1989. Ceremonies are held annually in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and
San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
.
Announcing Equality Project
Established in 2002, GLAAD's Announcing Equality project has resulted in more than 1,000 newspapers including gay and lesbian announcements alongside other wedding listings.
Commentator Accountability Project
In March 2012, GLAAD launched the Commentator Accountability Project, which seeks to index and document frequent contributors, guests and pundits who regularly express anti-LGBTQ bias and misinformation in their contributions to journalism outlets.
Studio Responsibility Index
In August 2013, GLAAD launched its first annual Studio Responsibility Index, which indexes "the quantity, quality and diversity of images of LGBTQ people in films released by six major motion picture studios".
''GLAAD Media Reference Guide''
The ''GLAAD Media Reference Guide'' is a
style guide
A style guide is a set of standards for the writing, formatting, and design of documents. A book-length style guide is often called a style manual or a manual of style. A short style guide, typically ranging from several to several dozen page ...
of recommendations for writers, especially journalistic outlets, to reference in positive, inclusive depiction of LGBTQ people. It has been published since the 1990s (then known as the ''GLAAD Media Guide to the Lesbian and Gay Community''), with the 11th edition, being the most recent, published in 2022.
Social Media Safety Index
The 2021 GLAAD Social Media Safety Index, based on an analysis of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube, assessed that social media was "effectively unsafe for LGBTQ users."
Campaigns

;Spirit Day
In 2010, GLAAD launched
Spirit Day with Canadian teenager Brittany McMillan. Spirit Day is a national day of action, observed annually on the third Thursday in October, to show LGBTQ youth that they are not alone.
[GLAAD hopes to stem bullying of LGBTQ youth on Spirit Day
Author: Adams, S.
Journal: PRweek (U.S. ed.)
ISSN: 1524-1696
Date: January 8, 2016
Volume: 19 Issue: 8 Page: 16]
In 2016, Spirit Day was the world's largest and most visible anti-bullying campaign.
The campaign works to bring anti-bullying resources to classrooms all around the world by inspiring educators to take action against bullying through hosting events and rallies. The campaign also created a GLAAD's Spirit Day kit for use in classrooms, which is available in 6 languages.
On social media, people are encouraged to wear purple or go purple online in order to stand united against bullying. Large media companies such as NBC Universal and Viacom show support for Spirit Day on the airwaves, and change their on-air logo to purple for the day. They also enlist people who wear purple during the day's broadcast.
The hashtag #Spirit Day has become a trending topic on Twitter and Facebook every year. On social media, people such as
Oprah Winfrey,
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer.
She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
and President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
have shown their support for the campaign.
;Past Campaigns
In 2017 GLAAD launched the ''Together Movement'', which encouraged all to join in support of those discriminated against including women, Muslims, immigrants and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Media consultation
GLAAD regularly works with companies and studios in a consultative role to help with the depiction of LGBTQ characters and themes in specific projects.
;TV and Film
In 2023, GLAAD began consulting with the producers of the
Netflix documentary
Will & Harper before it was submitted to the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
. The documentary is about
Will Ferrell and his close friend
Harper Steele as they drive cross-country following Harper's disclosure that she is a transgender woman. Director Josh Greenbaum said "We partnered with GLAAD on this film, and they were really helpful in giving us feedback as we’re bringing the film out in the world."
In 2021, GLAAD helped
Oprah Winfrey prepare for the first TV interview with
Elliot Page
Elliot Page (formerly Ellen Page; born February 21, 1987) is a Canadian actor, producer, and activist. He is known for his leading roles across Canadian and American film and television, and for his outspoken work as an activist for LGBTQ righ ...
, after disclosing that he is transgender. "I was more nervous about this interview than anything. I wanted to get it right," Oprah told GLAAD's Nick Adams over Zoom following the interview.
In 2019, the third season of the animated television series ''
Young Justice'' consulted GLAAD on the subject of representing minority characters and narratives.
In 2004,
Fox provided GLAAD with an
advance copy of their reality television special ''
Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay'' for review. Upon review of the special, GLAAD condemned it as "an exercise in systematic humiliation." The special was shelved only hours before a scheduled meeting between GLAAD and Fox entertainment president
Gail Berman to discuss the network's on-air depictions of gay men. Ray Giuliani, an executive producer of ''Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay'', largely attributed the special's cancellation to pressures that Fox faced from GLAAD. Following the cancellation of the special, Fox organized another meeting with GLAAD for discussion over how to improve their on-air representations of the LGBTQ community. Following the cancellation of ''Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay'' the executive producers of the
TBS series ''
He's a Lady'' consulted GLAAD for review of the transgender representation in their own program.
;Gaming
''
Tell Me Why'' is an
episodic narrative
adventure game developed by French studio
Dontnod Entertainment and published by
Xbox Game Studios in 2020.
The game focuses on twin siblings Alyson and
Tyler Ronan, who is a
transgender man.
''Tell Me Why'' was the first playable
Triple-A game to feature a transgender protagonist.
GLAAD helped in creating Tyler's character, with the game's director Florent Guillaume described GLAAD as "invaluable" in developing Tyler's character and making him a "realistic hero".
GLAAD's Nick Adams served as consultant who, amongst other areas, helped ensure that Tyler would be played by a trans actor; August Black.
Adams described authentic representations of trans people in media as a "powerful tool for acceptance and understanding".
The
crossover fighting game ''
Street Fighter X Tekken'', developed by Japanese
video game developer and
publisher
Publishing is the activities of making information, literature, music, software, and other content, physical or digital, available to the public for sale or free of charge. Traditionally, the term publishing refers to the creation and distribu ...
Capcom
is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...
, was released in 2012. The game features
Poison
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
, who is a
transgender woman, as a playable character. GLAAD worked with Capcom on the game's script "to ensure that gaming’s most famous transgender character was portrayed with respect" and that "anything that might be offensive has been very tailored to not be."
See also
*
All About Trans
*
List of LGBTQ rights organizations
*
Transgender Day of Remembrance
*
Trans Media Watch
*
Violence against LGBTQ people
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
1985 establishments in New York City
Anti-bullying organizations in the United States
Anti-homophobia
LGBTQ political advocacy groups in the United States
LGBTQ portrayals in mass media
Mass media monitoring
Organizations based in Los Angeles
Organizations based in New York City
Organizations established in 1985