The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced Thursday that Daytime Emmy award-winning talk show host and comedian Joy Behar will receive the Excellence in Media Award at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York.
On March 13, Joy Behar will receive the Excellence in Media Award which is presented to media professionals who have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community.
The comedian has been a co-host of The View since it premiered in 1997. For over a decade, Behar has used this nationally televised platform to voice her support for LGBT equality on a number of issues.
The Joy Behar Show premiered in 2009 and since then a number of episodes have featured discussion of LGBT issues and guests, including a segment featuring Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. The episode is nominated for a GLAAD Media Award this year for Outstanding Talk Show Episode.
Past recipients of the Excellence in Media Award include Billy Crystal, Julianne Moore, Diane Sawyer, Glenn Close, Patti LaBelle, Vanessa Redgrave, Tyra Banks and Phil Donahue.
GLAAD had previously announced that Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon will be honored with the Vito Russo Award at the New York ceremony. In Los Angeles, Drew Barrymore will receive GLAAD's Vanguard Award for increasing the visibility and understanding of LGBT people. And GLAAD will also honor Wanda Sykes with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award that same night.
Precious' Gabourey Sibide will open the show to introduce the Youth Pride Chorus, a New York City choir of LGBT youth. Other guests and presenters scheduled to attend include: Sigourney Weaver (Prayers for Bobby); Bryan Batt (Mad Men); Sarah Paulson (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip); Rosie Perez (Lipstick Jungle); Sandra Bernhard (Dare); Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel, Isis King (America's Next Top Model); and Jill Zarin (The Real Housewives of New York City).
The GLAAD Media Awards will take place in New York on March 13 and in San Francisco on June 5. A ceremony will be held on April 17 in Los Angeles and will be hosted by Candis Cayne and Wilson Cruz.
Get more sports on SheWired.
Follow SheWired on Twitter!
Follow SheWired on Facebook!
