GLAAD announces resignation of President Neil Giuliano

GLAAD President Neil Giuliano announced his resignation today, and will step down at a date to be announced later this year. He's leaving to pursue "personal interests" (i.e. writing a book), and the replacement process will begin when the GLAAD board of directors meets next month.

According to the press release, Neil's three year reign at the top was marked by great strides at GLAAD and for gay visibility:

Under Giuliano's leadership, GLAAD's budget has grown from $7.5M to $11M, with expanded individual, corporate and foundation support for its media advocacy and anti-defamation work on behalf of the LGBT community. Giuliano expanded GLAAD's influence as a national voice against the defamation gay people often face and began media programs reaching out to young adults, communities of religion and faith, and the vast sports media world while increasing GLAAD's outreach and media relations support to local, regional, statewide and other LGBT advocacy organizations. GLAAD also acquired Queer Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and will launch an advertising media program later in 2009 with the assets of the former Commercial Closet Association.

Of course his tenure was not without controversies. GLAAD was taken to task for their dismissive handling of the Grey's Anatomy lesbian storyline, and mocked for the Isaiah Washington bogus gay rehab idiocy.

They were also nowhere to be found when the Don Imus controversy exploded, and we were also skeptical about their overly optimistic view on TV gay visibility.

Still, being the president of an organization that is so intently scrutinized can't be easy, and we hope GLAAD's next leader has the patience and fortitude to put up the good fight.