At the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Tony-nominated star of The Prom Caitlin Kinnunen performed “Unruly Heart” accompanied by Tony nominee Matthew Sklar on piano, and joined by The Youth Pride Chorus, Broadway Babies Choir, and Broadway’s Ambassadors. The moving song, “Unruly Heart,” serves as the show’s emotional LGBTQ youth anthem, and an important moment in the journey of the protagonist, Emma, played by Kinnunen.

Kinnunen was also joined onstage by Anthony Bowens and Map Pesqueira, two young and brave LGBTQ figures who shared their stories with the audience. Anthony Bowens spoke of his position as one of the few openly gay professional wrestlers and how he has inspired other LGBTQ athletes “to continue playing the sport they love no matter what.” Map Pesqueira, a college freshman who lost his ROTC scholarship because he is transgender, talked about how efforts from GLAAD and others have helped to fund his education.

The Prom is the joyous Broadway hit that New York Magazine calls “a smart, big-hearted new musical comedy” and The New York Times declares a Critic’s Pick! The story centers on Emma, a young lesbian barred from attending her high school prom with her girlfriend, and the aging Broadway stars who come to their aid. It’s a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars, a small town, and a love that unites them all. Last fall, a performance from the cast at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade culminated in the first-ever same-sex kiss in the event’s history. The Prom is also set to be adapted into a Young Adult novel that will be published this fall.

Earlier this month, Ryan Murphy worked with GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and the Hetrick-Martin Institute to host hundreds of LGBTQ youth for a special, star-studded performance of the LGBTQ-themed musical. During the event, he announced that he plans to bring The Prom to Netflix, because it vehemently spreads the message that “LGBTQ rights are human rights.” This week, The Prom received seven Tony nominations, including a nomination for Best Musical, and a nomination for performer Caitlin Kinnunen for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York were filled with moments of celebration, reflection, and honoring of LGBTQ voices. Madonna accepted the Advocate for Change award, presented by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen accepted the Vito Russo award, presented by Sarah Jessica Parker. Other major winners included the cast of Pose (Outstanding Drama Series), Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (Outstanding Variety or Talk Show), and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (Outstanding TV Journalism Segment).

The New York City ceremony will air exclusively on Logo on Sunday, May 12 at 8pm ET/PT.

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are supported by Presenting Partners Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Hyundai, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. GLAAD is also grateful to: Official Partners Bud Light and Google; Titanium Partner AT&T and WEN; Platinum Partners Comcast NBCUniversal-Telemundo, Creative Artists Agency, Disney ABC Television Group, Facebook/Instagram, HBO, Hulu, Kaiser Permanente, MetLife, NBA & WNBA, Netflix, Omnicom Group, PRG, Sheppard Mullin, Turner; Gold Partners CBS/Showtime, Nielsen, PWC, UM, Univision, and VER; and Silver Partners Allstate, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Warner Bros.

At the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents won the award for Outstanding Blog. This category recognizes the exceptional work of blogs that publish quality LGBTQ-related content via their platforms.

“LGBTQ people rely on the important work of bloggers and LGBTQ media outlets to highlight the diverse issues affecting our community,” said Rich Ferraro, Chief Communications Officer at GLAAD. “With Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, Sue Kerr demonstrates what it means to use to your platform to create real change and accelerate LGBTQ acceptance.”

After appearing on local radio under the name “Pittsburgh’s Official Lesbian Correspondent,” Sue Kerr decided to extend her reach and voice through the creation of her blog Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents in December 2005. As a trained social worker who has “been enthralled by the power of social media…as a community organizing tool”, Kerr sees “blogging [as] an extension of [her] community organizing work as an LGBTQ activist, a feminist, a social worker, and just a human being.” In learning that “sharing [her] opinions as a queer disabled woman blogger is political”, Kerr says the central message of her blog is about “occupying space that isn’t kind to marginalized voices and stak[ing] your claim, be it about cats or politics or any topic. Your voice matters.”

So I’m watching @knockdownmovie after plunging a clogged drain and my Twitter blows up – just your typical lesbian pre-award evening. Seriously, I am stunned & thrilled. Thank you @glaad & kudos to my co-nominees @holybullies @TransGriot @MyFabDisease @GaysWithKids #GLAADawards t.co/p1PrW7rGzo

— Sue Kerr (@PghLesbian24) May 5, 2019

On why her blog represents an important voice within the LGBTQ community, Kerr mentions that “There are no LGBTQ media outlets in Western Pennsylvania and only a handful statewide.” Despite the “proliferation of bias on broadcast media”, Kerr argues that “[bloggers] can put forth alternative perspectives and call attention to crisis in the media, including coverage of LGBTQ issues.” In an area where her voice is one of very few, Kerr believes that blogs like hers create “a dynamic archive of the early 21st century in LGBTQ life here in Western Pennsylvania.” When asked why blogging as an important tool in today’s society, Kerr expressed: “Blogging is important because in some communities it is the only place where people “read” about their own lives and experiences and identities.” However, she further notes that “blogging is endangered by the same forces that silence us elsewhere in community life,” ultimately calling on “the foundations, the major organizations investing in bloggers both to support our ongoing work and to specifically work on preserving the archives”.

Other nominees in this category included Gays With Kids, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, My Fabulous Disease, and TransGriot. You can read more about the Outstanding Blog nominees here.

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York were filled with moments of celebration, reflection, and honoring of LGBTQ voices. Madonna accepted the Advocate for Change award, presented by Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen accepted the Vito Russo award, presented by Sarah Jessica Parker. Other major winners included the cast of Pose (Outstanding Drama Series), Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (Outstanding Variety or Talk Show), and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (Outstanding TV Journalism Segment).

The New York City ceremony will air exclusively on Logo on Sunday, May 12 at 8pm ET/PT.

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are supported by Presenting Partners Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Hyundai, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. GLAAD is also grateful to: Official Partners Bud Light and Google; Titanium Partner AT&T and WEN; Platinum Partners Comcast NBCUniversal-Telemundo, Creative Artists Agency, Disney ABC Television Group, Facebook/Instagram, HBO, Hulu, Kaiser Permanente, MetLife, NBA & WNBA, Netflix, Omnicom Group, PRG, Sheppard Mullin, Turner; Gold Partners CBS/Showtime, Nielsen, PWC, UM, Univision, and VER; and Silver Partners Allstate, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Warner Bros.