GLAAD Honors LGBTQ+ Representation at 37th Annual Media Awards

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has presented its 37th Annual Media Awards, recognizing media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of LGBTQ individuals and issues. Nominations spanned 32 categories across various platforms, including film, television, gaming, music, podcasting, and journalism. The awards ceremony, which named winners in multiple categories, was hosted by Jonathan Bennett in Los Angeles.

The GLAAD Media Awards aim to recognize and honor media that provides fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community.

For its 37th annual event, GLAAD announced 291 nominees across 32 categories. Hornitos® Tequila was listed as an official sponsor. The eligibility period for nominated works covered content published, released, or broadcast between January 1 and December 31, 2025.

Ceremony Details

Reports regarding the timing of the 37th Annual GLAAD Media Awards provided differing information. Source 1 reported that the ceremony was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Conversely, Source 2 reported that the 37th annual GLAAD Media Awards were held in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton, where winners were announced. The ceremony was hosted by Jonathan Bennett.

Event highlights included an appearance by Liza Minnelli, who marked her 80th birthday and promoted her upcoming memoir, "Kids, Wait Till Hear This!" Performances were delivered by Demi Lovato and Sony Music Group artist Eli.

Major Award Recipients

Several productions and individuals received top honors at the ceremony.

• Outstanding Film – Wide Theatrical Release: "Kiss of the Spider Woman," directed by Bill Condon and starring Jennifer Lopez, Tonatiuh, and Diego Luna. (Nominees included I Know What You Did Last Summer, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and On Swift Horses.)
• Outstanding Film – Limited Theatrical Release: A tie between "A Nice Indian Boy" and "Plainclothes."
• Outstanding Film – Streaming or TV: "Queen of Coal" (Netflix).
• Outstanding New TV Series: "Heated Rivalry" (HBO Max/Crave). (Nominees included Heated Rivalry, The Hunting Wives, and Pluribus.)
• Outstanding Comedy Series: "Palm Royale" (Apple TV). (Nominees included Abbott Elementary, Hacks, and Palm Royale.)
• Outstanding Drama Series: "Stranger Things" (Netflix), for its fifth and final season. (Nominees included Severance, Stranger Things, and The Last of Us.)
• Outstanding Reality Competition Program: "The Traitors" (Peacock).
• Outstanding Reality Program: "Southern Hospitality" (Bravo).
• Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series: "Wayward" (Netflix).
• Outstanding Documentary: "Come See Me in the Good Light" (Apple TV).
• Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode: "Guest Host Alan Cumming on Attacks Against the Trans Community & Bringing Kindness Back in America," "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC).

• Outstanding Music Artist: Young Miko, "Do Not Disturb." (Nominees included Conan Gray, Elton John & Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, and Young Miko.)
• Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist: KATSEYE.
• Outstanding Podcast: "Handsome" (Headgum). (Nominees included Las Culturistas, Handsome Podcast, and We Can Do Hard Things.)
• Outstanding Video Game: "Lost Records: Bloom & Rage" (DON’T NOD). (Nominees listed in Source 1 included Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Hades II.)
• Outstanding Broadway Production: "Liberation," by Bess Wohl. (Nominees listed in Source 1 included Purpose and Smash.)

Special Honors and Recognition

Individual recognitions were also presented at the ceremony:

• Vanguard Award: Quinta Brunson.
• Stephen F. Kolzak Award: Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, co-hosts of "Las Culturistas."
• Barbara Gittings Award for Excellence in LGBTQ Media: Them.

Additionally, four projects received Special Recognition honors for their contributions to LGBTQ acceptance and visibility: Andry José Hernández Romero, “Before We Forget” (Twenty Nine Palms Ent.), “The Drowsy Chaperone in Concert” (Breaking the Binary Theatre), and “Gaydar with Anania.”

Other Recognized Categories

The awards covered a range of media categories, including those for younger audiences and journalism:

• Outstanding Comic Book: "Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices."
• Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology: "Gaysians," by Mike Curato.
• Outstanding Children’s Programming: "Firebuds" (Disney Jr.).
• Outstanding Kids & Family Programming – Live Action: "XO, Kitty" (Netflix).
• Outstanding Kids & Family Programming – Animated: "Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake" (HBO Max).
• Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: People.
• Outstanding Online or Print Journalism Article: "As the first out trans person in Congress, Sarah McBride is ready to fight for us" by Christopher Wiggins (Advocate).
• Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia: "A Mother and Her Trans Teen Decide to Leave the U.S." Text and Visuals by Sam Wolson, Illustrations by Lilli Carré (NewYorker.com).

Spanish-language categories also recognized excellence, with "Mariliendre" (Atresplayer) receiving the award for Outstanding Scripted Television Series, alongside various journalism pieces.