LGBT rights advocate GLAAD on Monday
announced it will honor Google and YouTube at its September 13
fundraiser in San Francisco.
GLAAD
Gala San Francisco: Game Changers will be hosted by actress Taryn
Manning (Orange is the New Black) and feature a special
performance by Alex Newell (Glee).
Google and YouTube will receive the Ric
Weiland Award, which the group says “honors innovators who advance
LGBT equality through tech and new media.”
The late Weiland, a computer software
pioneer, was an avid supporter of LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations.
“Few companies have the power to
reach billions, and even fewer use that power to help ensure everyone
can live the life they love,” GLAAD President & CEO Kate Ellis
said in a statement. “Tech innovators like Google are now at the
forefront of the global conversation on LGBT equality, ushering in a
new era of acceptance and understanding for users across the world.
Through groundbreaking campaigns, outspoken support, and a relentless
commitment to its LGBT employees, Google has raised the bar on
corporate leadership that drives equality forward.”
Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, lead
plaintiffs in the landmark case that struck down California's gay
marriage ban, Proposition 8, will receive the group's Presidential
Local Hero Award at the event.