GLAAD
Professional services
UnclaimedA U.S. nonprofit organization that advocates for accurate and inclusive LGBTQ representation in news, entertainment, advertising, and digital media.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
GLAAD is an American nonprofit media-monitoring and advocacy organization focused on improving public understanding of LGBTQ people and issues. It was created in New York City in 1985 in response to what its founders considered sensationalized and defamatory reporting about gay men and lesbians, especially coverage of the AIDS crisis by the New York Post. The founding group included activists, writers, editors, scholars, and arts professionals, among them Vito Russo, Gregory Kolovakos, Jewelle Gomez, Darrell Yates Rist, Marcia Pally, Allen Barnett, and Barry Adkins. Gregory Kolovakos became the organization's first executive director. Initially known as the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation League, the organization changed its name after legal pressure from the Anti-Defamation League and adopted Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. Its early work involved persuading newspapers, wire services, broadcasters, and other media outlets to use less prejudicial language and to provide more balanced coverage of LGBTQ communities. One early success came in 1987, when The New York Times changed its editorial policy to favor the word “gay” over harsher terminology. GLAAD subsequently pressed the Associated Press and other news organizations to adopt comparable standards. The organization expanded to Los Angeles and other cities during its first decade. The Los Angeles presence became especially influential because of its proximity to the American film and television industries. GLAAD worked with entertainment companies, writers, producers, performers, and journalists on the portrayal of LGBTQ characters and themes. New York and Los Angeles operations formally merged in 1994, although the organization retained a geographically distributed presence and continued holding GLAAD Media Awards events in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. GLAAD's scope has broadened substantially since its founding. In 2013, it formally retired the expanded name and became known simply as GLAAD, signaling that its work covered bisexual, transgender, queer, and other LGBTQ people rather than only gay and lesbian communities. Its activities now include media advocacy, newsroom and industry consultation, research, public campaigns, training, accountability projects, and awards recognizing inclusive representation. Its reference materials provide terminology and reporting guidance, while its research programs examine LGBTQ visibility and treatment in film, television, journalism, and social media. The organization also operates public campaigns. Spirit Day, launched in 2010 with Canadian teenager Brittany McMillan, encourages people to wear purple or show support online to oppose bullying of LGBTQ youth. Other initiatives have addressed wedding announcements, anti-LGBTQ commentary, film-studio practices, and online safety. GLAAD has advised producers and game developers on projects involving transgender and other LGBTQ characters, including work associated with Tell Me Why, Street Fighter X Tekken, Young Justice, and interviews involving transgender public figures. GLAAD is a nonprofit advocacy institution rather than a conventional consumer brand. Its influence is exercised through relationships with media companies, cultural institutions, journalists, creators, advertisers, policymakers, and supporters. It remains active in the United States while its standards, campaigns, research, and media relationships have relevance beyond the country. The organization has also faced public scrutiny over executive compensation and expense practices, particularly following a 2024 investigation into spending under president and chief executive Sarah Kate Ellis. GLAAD defended its leadership and disputed aspects of the reporting.
History
GLAAD was organized in New York City in 1985 by activists and media professionals who opposed hostile and sensational reporting about gay and lesbian people, particularly during the AIDS crisis. Early meetings took place in activists' homes and in after-hours spaces associated with the New York State Council on the Arts. The initial organization was first called the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Defamation League, but it changed its name after legal objections from the Anti-Defamation League. The organization's early strategy was direct media advocacy. It monitored reporting, contacted editors, challenged stigmatizing language, and encouraged news organizations to cover LGBTQ people as communities rather than as subjects of ridicule, scandal, or disease. Its dialogue with The New York Times contributed to a 1987 editorial policy change favoring the word “gay” over more pejorative terminology. GLAAD also sought comparable changes at the Associated Press and in television news. During its first five years, GLAAD developed chapters outside New York, most notably in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles branch became important to the organization's entertainment work because it could engage directly with studios, networks, producers, writers, and performers. GLAAD's focus consequently expanded from correcting journalism to influencing the depiction of LGBTQ characters and storylines in film and television. New York and Los Angeles operations merged in 1994, while other local structures and award ceremonies preserved a national presence. The GLAAD Media Awards, established in 1989, became the organization's most visible recognition program. Annual ceremonies in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco honor media work judged to contribute to fair and inclusive LGBTQ representation. Alongside the awards, GLAAD developed guidance and research programs. Its media reference guide, issued in successive editions since the 1990s, gives journalists and other communicators recommendations on terminology and respectful coverage. Announcing Equality, begun in 2002, encouraged newspapers to include same-sex wedding announcements alongside other marriage notices. GLAAD broadened its public advocacy through projects such as the Commentator Accountability Project, launched in 2012, and the Studio Responsibility Index, introduced in 2013. The former records recurring anti-LGBTQ commentary and misinformation; the latter evaluates LGBTQ representation in mainstream studio films. In 2021, GLAAD's Social Media Safety Index assessed the major platforms it reviewed as effectively unsafe for LGBTQ users, extending the organization's monitoring work into online services. A major organizational transition occurred in 2013, when GLAAD formally abandoned the expanded name Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and adopted GLAAD as its sole public name. The change reflected work involving bisexual, transgender, queer, and other LGBTQ communities. Jennifer Finney Boylan became the first openly transgender co-chair of GLAAD's national board. Sarah Kate Ellis became president and chief executive in the following period and has led the organization through expanded research, digital advocacy, entertainment consultation, and public campaigns. Spirit Day, launched in 2010 with Brittany McMillan, became one of GLAAD's best-known campaigns. Held annually in October, it asks participants to wear purple or turn digital profiles purple to oppose bullying and support LGBTQ youth. The campaign has involved educators, broadcasters, major media companies, celebrities, and public officials. In 2017, GLAAD also introduced the Together Movement, linking LGBTQ advocacy with opposition to discrimination against women, Muslims, immigrants, and other targeted communities. GLAAD's consultative role has extended beyond traditional media. It advised on transgender and LGBTQ representation in projects such as the video game Tell Me Why, the character Poison in Street Fighter X Tekken, the television series Young Justice, and interviews with transgender public figures. The organization has also reviewed or criticized television concepts, including Fox's Seriously, Dude, I'm Gay, which was withdrawn after GLAAD condemned its approach as humiliating and degrading. In 2024, GLAAD faced reputational scrutiny after a New York Times investigation examined spending and compensation connected to Ellis. The report described premium travel, luxury lodging, allowances, and home-office expenditures and cited former staff concerns about internal controls and nonprofit rules. GLAAD said that some expenses were donor-supported, later reimbursed, or addressed through policy changes, and defended Ellis's leadership. The episode became part of the organization's modern institutional history while its advocacy, research, awards, and media work continued.
- 2021
Social Media Safety Index evaluates major platforms
[4]GLAAD publishes an assessment concluding that the reviewed social platforms were broadly unsafe for LGBTQ users.
- 2013
Organization adopts the name GLAAD
[1]The expanded historical name is retired to reflect a broader LGBTQ focus.
- 2013
Studio Responsibility Index launches
[1]GLAAD begins annual analysis of LGBTQ representation in major-studio films.
- 2010
Spirit Day launches
[1]GLAAD and Brittany McMillan establish an annual anti-bullying day supporting LGBTQ youth.
- 2002
Announcing Equality begins
[1]The initiative promotes inclusion of same-sex wedding announcements in newspaper wedding sections.
- 1994
New York and Los Angeles operations merge
[1]The principal city organizations consolidate into a broader national structure.
- 1989
GLAAD Media Awards established
[1]The organization begins its annual awards program for LGBTQ-inclusive media.
- 1987
Editorial language breakthrough
[1]The New York Times changes its policy toward more neutral terminology after engagement with GLAAD.
- 1985
Organization founded in New York City
[1]Activists and media professionals establish GLAAD to challenge defamatory and sensationalized coverage of gay and lesbian people.
Products and positioning
A prominent LGBTQ advocacy organization using media monitoring, research, public campaigns, industry consultation, and communications expertise to promote accurate, fair, and inclusive representation.
Awards program · 1989
GLAAD Media Awards
An annual recognition program established in 1989 that honors film, television, journalism, music, advertising, and other media for fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBTQ representation. Events have traditionally been held in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Editorial guidance · 1990
GLAAD Media Reference Guide
A terminology and reporting resource for journalists, communicators, and other media professionals. It provides recommendations intended to improve accuracy, reduce harmful framing, and support respectful coverage of LGBTQ people and issues.
Public campaign · 2010
Spirit Day
A recurring anti-bullying campaign encouraging people, schools, companies, broadcasters, and public figures to wear purple or participate online in support of LGBTQ youth. Its educational materials include resources for classrooms and community events.
Research report · 2013
Studio Responsibility Index
An annual analysis of LGBTQ characters and storylines in films released by major motion-picture studios. The index considers representation volume, characterization, diversity, and the presence of harmful or stereotyped portrayals.
Research report · 2021
Social Media Safety Index
A research project examining the policies and user experience of major social-media platforms from an LGBTQ safety perspective, including issues such as harassment, hate speech, moderation, and privacy.
Media monitoring · 2012
Commentator Accountability Project
A database and monitoring initiative documenting commentators, guests, and pundits who repeatedly promote anti-LGBTQ bias or misinformation in news and opinion media.
Controversies
2024
Investigation into executive expenses and compensation
The New York Times reported on extensive travel, lodging, allowances, and office-related expenses associated with president and chief executive Sarah Kate Ellis, and quoted nonprofit experts and former staff who questioned whether some practices complied with internal policies or tax-exempt organization rules. GLAAD defended Ellis, said some expenses had outside donor support or were reimbursed, and disputed elements of the reporting.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Together Movement
United States
A coalition-oriented campaign encouraged people to oppose discrimination affecting LGBTQ people as well as women, Muslims, immigrants, and other targeted communities.
Outcome. Positioned LGBTQ media advocacy within a broader anti-discrimination movement.
- 2010Spirit Day
United States · International digital communities
GLAAD partnered with teenager Brittany McMillan to create an annual anti-bullying action for LGBTQ youth. Participants wear purple, change online profiles, organize school activities, and encourage public solidarity.
Outcome. Became one of the most visible annual anti-bullying campaigns associated with LGBTQ advocacy.
Brand decisions
2013
Retire the expanded organizational nameStrategyBackground
The historical name emphasized gay and lesbian communities, while the organization's advocacy increasingly included bisexual, transgender, queer, and other LGBTQ people.
Action taken
GLAAD formally adopted GLAAD as its public name and presented the change as a broader inclusion commitment.
Aftermath
The shorter name became the organization's standard identity while its media advocacy and awards programs continued.
2013
Launch the Studio Responsibility IndexOtherBackground
GLAAD sought a systematic way to assess whether major film studios were providing meaningful and diverse LGBTQ representation.
Action taken
The organization began publishing an annual review of LGBTQ images in films released by six major studios.
Aftermath
The index became a recurring accountability and research tool for the entertainment industry.
Recent events
Reported
Washington Blade reporter wins GLAAD award[6]
Washington Blade reporter Chris Johnson won the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Newspaper Article for his article about reports of discharges under the transgender military service ban.
Reported
Saucey announces Pride Month partnership with GLAAD and Tina Burner[7]
Saucey announced a Pride Month partnership involving GLAAD and Tina Burner. The campaign includes an online Pride category, with one dollar from each purchase in the category benefiting GLAAD during June.
Sources7 sources
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