Advocate Wins GLAAD Best Magazine Coverage Award

The Advocate was honored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation with the award for Outstanding Magazine -- Overall Coverage at the organization's 19th annual awards ceremony. Newsweek, Us Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, and CosmoGIRL! were all up for the award, which has hitherto been reserved for non-LGBT media.

Anne Stockwell, editor in chief of The Advocate, accepted the award and referred to the magazine's beginning nearly 41 years ago. "The first issue was cranked out on a mimeograph machine, in a basement, in secret," Stockwell said. "The few gay men who took that action could never have imagined how far their message would go."

GLAAD also presented Sharon Stone with the Vanguard Award for her activism on behalf of gay causes and millions of dollars raised for HIV/AIDS research. Actor Alan Cumming presented the award, reserved for media professionals who have increased the visibility and knowledge of the LGBT community.

Jennifer Beals presented the Davidson/Valenti Award to Ilene Chaiken, the creator of famed Showtime series The L Word. The award is presented to openly gay media professionals who have furthered the cause of gay rights.

"If history is indeed written by the victors, let's make ourselves victorious by writing our own history...and directing it and producing it and starring in it," Chaiken said, according to a GLAAD press release.

Focus Features CEO James Schamus was presented with the Golden Gate Award, which honors media professionals who have used their medium to increase accurate LGBT visibility.

David Mixner received the Pioneer Award, given to early innovators in LGBT-inclusive media images.

Below is a complete list of winners from San Francisco's award ceremony on Saturday. Additional awards were presented in New York on March 17, in South Florida on April 12, and in Los Angeles on April 26. Cable network Bravo will air the award shows on June 27. (The Advocate)

Vanguard Award: Sharon Stone

Davidson/Valentini Award: Ilene Chaiken

Golden Gate Award: James Schamus

Pioneer Award: David Mixner

Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Anthology: The DL Chronicles (here! TV)

Outstanding Talk Show Episode: "Born in the Wrong Body," The Oprah Winfrey Show

Outstanding Magazine--Overall Coverage: The Advocate

Outstanding Advertising--Electronic: "Change" Levi's

Special Recognition: Theatre Rhinoceros