Does ATWT deserve a GLAAD award?

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.


I believe that the gay community is being duped by ATWT and that GLAAD is doing a disservice in nominating ATWT for an award. What worries me is that we are going to ruin the credibility of a fine organization like GLAAD.

While this may seem like a small matter, I believe that it points to a larger trend that GLAAD is following, where by GLAAD nominates shows like As The World Turns with a superficial regard to the story that these shows are actually telling. I've written another commentary at the After Elton discussion forums which I believe you may find helpful in understanding my point that groups like GLAAD are being lead into condoning a shame based view of glbt characters. I hope you will take a moment to read it. Hate the Kiss, Love the Kisser? In that commentary, I liken ATWT's story telling to the homophobic doctrine of "Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner."

We all love to have glbtq characters we can support and celebrate. That's not only fun but reaffirming. So we look for those paragons. But what happens when the awards we bestow have no criteria, or when the criteria are lacking? What is it worth when we are not allowed to question the motives of the producers, like P&GP. What is the value of that award?

And if a producer has a larger agenda like either greed or presenting gay people through a world vision that being gay is something to be ashamed of, is that really a step forward or is that one link in a new chain of oppression?

It is the poison apple which is too delicious to refuse that terrifies me the most. Offer me a caricature, like a paper mache apple, something that is an obvious joke, and I have no trouble pointing out how ridiculous that is. But a golden apple dipped in shame, proves to be too sweet to refuse.

I believe we are moving into a crucial period of acceptance of GLBT rights and I am hoping that GLADD is cognizant of the subtle bigotry that persists. And I don't understand why we would want to reward that.