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GLAAD and transgender people

GLAAD is an American media watchdog organization that monitors and reports on media issues. Their focus is sex and gender minorities, and they have done more than any other organization in history to improve media depictions of our community.

In keeping with their initial mission to fight defamation, they have a convenient way to report defamation.

Background

GLAAD was founded in 1985 as Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation League, to protest the New York Post’s sensationalized and homophobic reporting on HIV/AIDS. The name was changed a few years later to Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. In 2013, they moved to using their initials GLAAD exclusively.

Over the years, GLAAD has been instrumental in pressuring media and entertainment companies to improve how they depict LGBTQ people. The GLAAD Media Awards were established in 1989 to honor fair and accurate media depictions of LGBTQ people. Since the 1990s GLAAD has published a Media Reference Guide for journalists and other media creators. In 2013 GLAAD began grading entertainment companies with a Studio Responsibility Index. In 2021 they launched a similar Social Media Safety Index.

In 2015, longtime GLAAD employee Nick Adams was named Director of Transgender Media & Representation.

Accountability Project

Of particular interest for this project is the GLAAD Accountability Project (GAP), created in 2012 and relaunched in 2021 expanded listings. GAP monitors and documents individual public figures and groups using their platforms to spread misinformation and false rhetoric against LGBTQ people, youth, and allies. 

It profiles many key figures in anti-trans activism, including Tucker Carlson, Germaine Greer, Alex Jones, Helen Lewis, Paul McHugh, Candace Owens, J. K. Rowling, Ben Shapiro, Jesse Singal, and Debra Soh,

References

Srikanth, Anagha (April 5, 2021). Backlash from GLAAD’s new accountability project is proof it’s working, says LGBTQ+ watchdog. The Hill https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/546518-backlash-from-glaads-new-accountability-project-is-proof

Resources

GLAAD (glaad.org)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (glaad)

TikTok (tiktok.com)

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)