In Dialogue: Sarah Kate Ellis, President And CEO Of GLAAD, On The Power Of Media And LGTBQ Representation, Part 1

The world today is vastly different than it was even just a few years ago, and much of that can be attributed to work toward increasing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace, in leadership, and in the media we see each and every day. As a society, we choose whose stories get told, whose voices are heard, and that choice in turn impacts how we see and understand the world and each other. Witnessing how openly Millennials and Gen-Z embrace ideals of inclusivity and authenticity gives me hope for a future where everyone can be fully themselves and reach their highest potential. And yet, the LGBTQ community is also heavily under siege, with an unrelenting wave of anti-LGBTQ and particularly vitriolic anti-trans legislation sweeping the country (in just the last two weeks, a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth went into effect in Utah, and Tennessee moved forward with a bill that would criminalize such care, despite strong opposition from doctors as well as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ position that gender-affirming care is medically necessary for transgender children and adolescents).