On Saturday evening, Laverne Cox hosted the star-studded 27th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the iconic Waldorf Astoria in New York City. It was a chance to reflect on a monumental year--both good and bad. Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized marriage across the United States, who was honored by Aziz Ansari for a segment on Anderson Cooper 360, served as a reminder of the huge progress we saw in 2015. Connie Britton and Margaret Hoover, who used the stage to condmen anti-LGBT laws from North Carolina to Tennessee, underscored the fact that we still have a long way to go.
Highlights of the night included a surprise appearance by Jennifer Lawrence, who presented Robert De Niro with the Excellence in Media Award, and a touching and tongue-in-cheek presentation from Lee Daniels, who presented Mariah Carey with the Ally Award.
A longtime supporter of marriage equality, De Niro celebrated the victory while adding that we must "also remember oppressive laws like the ones in North Carolina that let us know the struggle continues and challenges us to be vigilant and aggressive in protecting all our rights." He then added "Thank you for this honor, I'm proud to stand with you, I'm GLAAD."
Carey expressed her love for the LGBT community, saying, "Thank you for the unconditional love ... I thank you, and I wish all of you love, peace, [and] harmony."
Diane Sawyer and Caitlyn Jenner won an award for the Bruce Jenner interview, and other winners included Nicole Maines, Tangerine, Cosmopolitan, Vice News, and Buzzfeed. Alex Newell, Bebe Rexha, and Fun Home performed, and there were presentations by Andrew Rannells, Noah Galvin, Andreja Pejic, and others.
For a full list of winners, visit GLAAD's website.
Congrats to all the winners, and to GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis on a fantastic night!
