Fags and Dykes and some Allies win GLAAD Awards in NYC…

Personally, my favorite gay Puerto Rican is Yara Sofia....

Get it? I’m being purposefully ironic using the dreaded terms, “Fags” and “Dykes” to describe a GLAAD event. The group recently went after Vanity Fair magazine when a gay writer used the term “Fags” in a post on the website. While we realize that the pejorative terms for LGBT people are not to be encouraged, and even discouraged as everyday use, we also have a problem with being overly politically correct, especially when it’s LGBTQ people using those terms themselves. And, we realize it’s a personal choice as to the validity of using those words and understand that for some people it’s a no deal situation, we also hate to see those words stigmatized and held up on a pedestal as “special”; all that ends up doing is giving those words more power. When people start using euphemisms for words, like “F Word”, “N Word” and “the OTHER F Word”, it makes us a bit nervous. When societies start trying to govern and prohibit the usage of a FEW problematic words, how long is it before that list of words is extended to the point where it includes whole sentences, paragraphs and entire books full of “forbidden” words and ideas. (And, I need to point out, when I use the word pronoun “we” I should probably be honest and point out, this is MY own opinion. Also, I’m not keen on non-LGBTQ people using those words unless of course it’s a discussion about the usage of those words, just as most African American people have similar viewpoints on the use of “nigger”. And, no, I don’t use the term “N Word”. I’m not CALLING anyone or referencing anyone as a “nigger”, I”m discussing the use of the word. There is a big difference…Moving on.)

GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, presented the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in NYC last night. It is the first of THREE award ceremonies, with shows in Los Angeles on April 10 and San Francisco on May 14. Why they need to have THREE award ceremonies spread out over THREE months, I don’t know, but many critics of GLAAD like to point out that GLAAD seems to primarily exist as a group that throws good parties and excels at fundraising to the exclusion of much of anything else, but that’s also a subject ripe for further discussion.

Here’s a list of the winners in New York which focus primarily on media; the LA event focuses naturally more on film/tv. We’re not going to comment too much on the winners, except to say condragulations to them all, but have to snidely comment that we’re not sure why a celebrity, who’s only been officially out of the closet for less than a year, is being given an award for being out and working to combat homophobia but kudos for Ricky Martin for resurrecting his flailing career…

And, not at all snidely, we are very happy to see Scissor Sisters, Frank Rich and Joe.My.God all win awards ’cause we think they’re all amazing and do brilliant work. Here’s the complete list:

Vito Russo Award: Ricky Martin

Outstanding Drama Series: “True Blood”

Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character): the “30 Rock” episode “Klaus & Greta”

Outstanding Digital Journalism-Multimedia: “Bridal Bliss: Aisha and Danielle” by Bobbi Misick (Essence.com)

Outstanding Talk Show Episode: “Ricky Martin Coming Out as a Gay Man and a New Dad” on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”

Outstanding TV Journalist-Newsmagazine: “Gay Teen Suicides” (series) “Anderson Cooper 360”

Outstanding Newspaper Article: “Rutgers Student Tyler Clementi’s Suicide Spurs Action Across the U.S.” by Judy Peet of the Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J.

Outstanding Newspaper Columnist: Frank Rich, the New York Times

Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage: the Denver Post

Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: “The Advocate/Out”

Outstanding Music Artist: Scissor Sisters, “Night Work”

Outstanding Comic Book: “X-Factor” by Peter David

Outstanding Blog: Joe. My. God.

Outstanding Los Angeles Theater: “Something Happened” by L. Trey Wilson

Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway: “The Pride” by Alexi Kaye Campbell

Outstanding New York Theater: Off-Off Broadway: “When Last We Flew” by Harrison David Rivers.