The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of 'Milk', will receive a Special Recognition Award at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Presented by IBM in San Francisco. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives, and will be held in San Francisco on May 9, 2009 at the Hilton San Francisco.GLAAD previously announced that actor Chad Allen will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award, and Chelsea Handler will host the event. The Davidson/Valentini Award is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for the LGBT community. In 2008, Allen appeared as openly gay detective Donald Strachey in here! Networks' 'The Donald Strachey Mystery Series' and served as a producer on the film Save Me, which offered audiences a look into the world of so-called "ex gay ministries." 'The Donald Strachey Mystery Series' is nominated for Outstanding Television Movie at the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards and 'Save Me' is a nominee for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will present Geoff Callan and Mike Shaw with the San Francisco Local Hero Award. Their film, Pulse of Equality, is an emotionally charged documentary that provides viewers with an inside look at Mayor Newsom's decision to allow the first same-sex couple to exchange their vows. This past year, Callan and Shaw brought the film across California to fight the anti-gay Proposition 8.
GLAAD Media Awards will also be presented in the Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Reality Program categories.
Guests and presenters scheduled to attend the event include: Mayor Gavin Newsom; Suze Orman; Jason Lewis (Sex & The City, Brothers & Sisters); Gabrielle Christian, Mandy Musgrave (South of Nowhere); Dan Jinks, Cleve Jones (Milk); Robert Gant (Save Me); Eduardo Xol (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition); Michelle Clunie (Queer As Folk); Wilson Cruz (He's Just Not That Into You); Calpernia Addams (Transamerican Love Story); Laverne Cox (I Want to Work for Diddy); Megan Cavanagh (Exes and Ohs); Judge David Young; and GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. More names to be announced.
Musical performances will include violinist Nadja Salerno Sonnenberg with the New Century Chamber Orchestra, as well as openly gay singer Matt Alber.
In January, GLAAD announced 125 nominees in 26 English-language categories, and 60 Spanish-language nominees in 15 categories. A complete list of this year's 185 nominees is available at http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards. This year, more than 5,000 people will attend the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, raising more than $3.5 million for the organization's work.
