Charlize Theron, Melissa Etheridge honored at 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

LOS ANGELES – Teri Hatcher, Jessica Alba, Laura Dern, Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, and Rosanna and Alexis Arquette were among the dozens of celebrities who joined the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation as it honored Charlize Theron, Melissa Etheridge, and the best in film and television April 8 at the 17th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles.
At the ceremony openly lesbian actress Jillian Armenante presented Charlize Theron with GLAAD's Vanguard award, honoring media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Theron and Armenante became friends while filming "North Country" together.
"Two years ago, I stood here and won my Oscar for "Monster." Thank you for bringing me back here and letting me stand in this exact spot tonight to receive this wonderful award," Theron said in her acceptance speech. Theron continued, "There's one thing I'd like to [say to the] viewers out there: as mothers, fathers, teach your children to have tolerance and acceptance. At the end of the day, we're all the same."
Also at the ceremony, Laura Dern presented rock icon Melissa Etheridge with GLAAD's Stephen F. Kolzak award.
"There's one thing I can tell you — the one thing that makes us stronger as a community is coming out," Etheridge said as she accepted her award. "[When] we put ourselves out there, we show people that we are gay and we're not going to hurt you. We live, we love, we have children, we get married. We are people. I love being a gay person — a lesbian in 2006."
The pre-show VIP reception featured the first public appearance of Jack and Ennis' intertwined shirts from Brokeback Mountain. Purchased for more than $100,000 in an online auction by actor and activist Tom Gregory, the shirts were displayed along with the film's actual postcards in a re-creation of the closet from the GLAAD Media Award-winning film's final scene.
The evening included performances from lesbian comedian Judy Gold, and Cirque de Soleil's Zumanity.
For the second consecutive year, the GLAAD Media Awards will be televised on Logo, MTV Networks' cable channel for LGBT viewers and their allies. This year, VH1 will air the program for the first time. The Logo air date for the GLAAD Media Awards is April 15 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). The VH1 air date is April 16 at 11 p.m. (ET/PT).
Additional GLAAD awards were presented in New York on March 27. The remaining awards will be presented in Miami on May 25 and in San Francisco on June 10.