Desperate Housewives and Milk scoop gongs at the GLAAD awards
The 2009 GLAAD Media Awards were held in Los Angeles on Saturday night with movie Milk and comedy series Desperate Housewives among the winners.
Attendees at the black tie event included Jessica Alba, Dustin Lance Black, Teri Hatcher and David Furnish.
The awards, now in their 20th year, recognise performers, TV shows and films for their contributions to equality and gay marriage.
Milk, the biopic of gay rights campaigner Harvey Milk, took home the gong for best film, while Desperate Housewives was recognised as the best TV comedy.
Brothers and Sisters was named best TV drama, while The L Word and Prop 8: The Musical received special recognition awards.
Kathy Griffin, dressed only in a bikini, was given the Vanguard award for increasing LGB awareness and visibility in the media.
In her acceptance speech, she said: “This is a thrill and an honor and an awesome night.
“You guys have been so good to me. I appreciate you, I get you, I love you, and I’ll keep making you laugh as long as you’ll let me! Thank you!”
The Right Reverend V Gene Robinson, the first openly gay Bishop in the Episcopal church, won the Stephen F Kolzak award for his work in religion.
Ellen DeGeneres was recognised for the best talk show episode, in which she allowed her wedding to actress Portia de Rossi to be broadcast.
She dedicated her award to Carl Walker Hoover, an 11-year-old Massachusetts boy who killed himself earlier this month after suffering severe homophobic bullying at school.
“In my opinion, we are not fighting for gay rights, we are fighting for equal rights,” DeGeneres told the audience at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre.
