Photo Flash: GLAAD Media Awards Honor Kristin Chenoweth!

Dolly Parton, Colin Farrell, Sean Hayes, Chris Colfer, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Allison Janney, Melissa Etheridge, Joel McHale, Kirsten Dunst, and Chaz Bono were among the celebrities who joined the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) as it honored Kristin Chenoweth, NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt, and the best in television and journalism last night at the 22nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, hosted by Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD's work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.

Also at the event, Sean Hayes presented the Vanguard Award to Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth, who has spoken out repeatedly for full equality for LGBT people. In 2010,
Chenoweth publically challenged a controversial Newsweek article which incorrectly asserted that gay actors cannot play straight roles. The Vanguard Award is presented to individuals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community in the media.

"I want to encourage many people of all faiths to come forward and stand with me," Chenoweth said in her remarks. "Even if you don't believe in Jesus the way I do, he did teach love -- not just tolerance, but acceptance. I'm lucky I had parents who adopted me at birth, conservative Southern Baptists who said, 'You will love everyone the same'...Mostly I would like to thank GLAAD for this amazing, amazing honor. This is the biggest honor I have ever received."

In 2011, the GLAAD Media Awards is celebrating GLAAD's 25th anniversary year, looking back at a quarter-century of work to build acceptance and advance equality through fair and accurate LGBT images in the media.

Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Sunday in Los Angeles. The final GLAAD Media Awards event will take place in San Francisco on May 14 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. The New York GLAAD Media Awards were held on March 19 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

About GLAAD: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) amplifies the voice of the LGBT community by empowering real people to share their stories, holding the media accountable for the words and images they present, and helping grassroots organizations communicate effectively. By ensuring that the stories of LGBT people are heard through the media, GLAAD promotes understanding, increases acceptance, and advances equality. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.

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