Media not only reflects our culture but has the ability to impact the world in which we live. It is deeply important for LGBTQ+ people to be included in the stories that appear throughout all forms of entertainment media as well as journalism. That is why it’s a pleasure to share with you the nominees for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Award in Spanish-Language scripted series and TV, digital and multimedia journalism, as well as a special recognition. It’s a list that includes LGBTQ+ voices brought to life through rigorous research, humorous storytelling or a casual one-on-one interview. It shows the heart and depth scripted series can bring to LGBTQ+ characters, as well as the impact a story centering marginalized voices can shift the way some viewers understand the world around them. Read more about this year’s nominees below:

Scripted Series

This year’s Scripted Series nominees feature five exceptional programs representing a wide array of genres and an exciting range of perspectives. Two YA comedies, a supernatural satire, a moving ensemble dramedy and a clever rom-com are the five scripted series pushing Spanish-language entertainment on TV and streamers toward more exciting and meaningful ground.

Los Espookys (HBO) created by Fred Armisen, Ana Fabrega and Julio Torres
This surreal comedy starring co-creators Julio Torres and Ana Fabrega offers queer absurdity that feels twisted and heart-warming all at once. Set in a fictional Latin American country, the show’s international cast channels the magical realism and dark sense of humor that feels unique to the region while infusing these stories with an unapologetically imaginative, and oftentimes hopeful, perspective. Featuring incisive political satire, campy horror elements and hilarious supporting cast members like River Ramirez and Spike Einbinder, season two of Los Espookys stands out as a show that lets its LGBTQ+ performers shine in roles that transcend the expected.

 

La flor más bella (Netflix) created by Fernanda Eguiarte and Michelle Rodríguez
A buoyant and brash coming-of-age story set in Xochimilco, Mexico, La flor más bella follows Mich (Esmeralda Soto) as she navigates family, friendship and romance. It’s a funny and heartfelt portrayal of a young woman coming into her confidence, and sexuality, highlighting the colors and sounds of its setting to create a unique style that complements the protagonist’s zest for life. Featuring a cast of friends that help Mich stay grounded amid the most delusional of fantasies, they’re also there to remind her to live life without limits.

 

Ser o no ser (RTVE Play+) created by Coral Cruz
A tender coming-of-age story from Spain following Joel (Ander Puig), a trans teen starting his first year at a new school. Infused with heart and humor, Ser or no ser feels like a refreshing addition to the slate of young-adult TV shows – one that aims to capture the small victories and tiny anxieties that punctuate our teenage years, featuring a slate of supporting cast members that add comedy, depth and diversity to the range of LGBTQ perspectives explored in the show.

 

Smiley (Netflix) created by Guillem Clua
An unusual rom-com that packs a punch, Smiley pits the cynical Bruno (Miki Esparbé) against the hopeless romantic, Álex (Carlos Cuevas), in a romantic game of chicken. It’s a sharp critique of our expectations surrounding modern dating with a premise that feels inspired by 90s rom-coms. It’s a silly yet clever gay love story with a supporting cast – including a lesbian at a turning point in her relationship and a bawdy drag queen who both work with Álex – brought together by the show’s primary setting, a cozy (and sometimes chaotic) gay bar in Barcelona.

 

Las de la última fila (Netflix) by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo
A dramedy following five friends coming together for the first time in years to take a very special road trip that ends up challenging their preconceived notions about themselves and each other. Starring Itsaso Arana, Godeliv Van den Brandt, Monica Miranda, Maria Rodríguez Soto, and Mariona Terés, this powerhouse cast channels a range of humor, heartbreak and rage that brings the show’s naturalistic dialogue to life – interjecting and talking over each other like a symphony composed by a lifetime of friendship. Las de la ultima fila that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of confronting regrets, shortcomings, or failures later in life, but it firmly encourages us to remember it’s never too late to overcome them.

Because five is never enough, here are just a few other LGBTQ inclusive Spanish-language shows on our rader from 2022: Madre solo hay sos, High Heat and Élite on Netflix. La edad de la ira on ATRESPlayer Premium. The comedy series Ana on Vix, as well as Lala’s Spa (a telenovela centered on a trans woman and played by a trans actress) that originally aired on Colombia’s RCN and available to stream in the U.S. on Vix. And there’s Acapulco, a mostly English-language bilingual series on Apple TV+.

And let’s not forget English-Language series also nominated in this year’s GMAs, including Love, Victor, A League of their Own, What We Do in the Shadows, The L Word: Generation Q and Gossip Girl which all include LGBTQ Latine characters, most of whom are also bilingual.

Digital Journalism: Video or Multimedia

Our digital multimedia category includes five exciting entries featuring interviews and visual storytelling that bring moving stories to life. More than in past years, we found an impressive amount of Spanish-language digital outlets focused on creating videos that highlight the injustices faced by trans women and non-binary people throughout Latin America and the U.S., as well as the ways LGBTQ communities have come together to support each other amid those injustices to create communities driven by hope.

“Las abuelas trans buscan dignificar su vejez” por Liliana Rosas y Silvana Flores (Reporte Indigo)

“Un hogar para las mujeres trans en México” por Gladys Serrano (El País)

“¿Al clóset? ni pa’ coger impulso: Carolina Giraldo, congresista bisexual” por Mariana Escobar Bernoske (La Disidencia – El Espectador)

“La comunidad trans recibe atención médica de calidad y con calidez, en la USIPT” por Jorge Ángel Pablo Garcia y Tania Molina Ramírez (La Jornada)

“Migrantes Trans buscan una nueva vida en Estados Unidos” por Alma Paola Wong (Milenio)

 

Special Recognition

This year’s Spanish-Language Special Recognition “En Sus Palabras” highlights an impressive and ambitious interview series produced by the Social Impact & Sustainability Team at TelevisaUnivision. These stories feature LGBTQ people who, in long interviews, share their personal stories of resilience and courage.
You can view it here: https://www.univision.com/noticias/especiales/contigo/en-sus-palabras

Digital Journalism

Our Digital Journalism category once again includes ten outstanding entries, from legacy print publications with an international scope to local outlets featuring fearless reporting. As the digital landscape becomes increasingly crowded, and reaching an audience with accurate work amid misinformation all the more challenging, these pieces shine as thoughtful examples of chronicling LGBTQ communities, histories and families throughout the U.S., Spain and Latin America.

“Amelio Robles fue el primer hombre trans mexicano y revolucionario” por Luis Garcia (Homosensual)
https://www.homosensual.com/cultura/historia/conoce-amelio-robles-primer-hombre-trans-y-revolucionario/

“Esta es mi vida intersexual”: así fue cómo una boricua se convirtió en una heroína por Marcos Billy Guzmán (El Nuevo Día)
https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/notas/esta-es-mi-vida-intersexual-como-una-boricua-se-convirtio-en-heroe/

“Con miedo, pero peleando sus derechos: así viven las familias con niños LGBTQ en estados que quieren criminalizarlos” por Patricia Clarembeaux (Univision.com)
https://www.univision.com/noticias/politica/miedo-derechos-familias-ninos-lgbt-estados-texas-y-florida

“Hay que votar por nuestras vidas: la comunidad hispana LGBTQ explica qué le motiva a participar en esta elección” por Albinson Linares (Telemundo.com)
https://www.telemundo.com/noticias/noticias-telemundo/elecciones-estados-unidos-2022/hay-que-votar-por-nuestras-vidas-la-comunidad-hispana-lgbtq-explica-qu-rcna55726

“Madres con hijos de la comunidad LGBTQ unen fuerzas en América Latina para luchar por sus derechos” por Rodrigo Serrano (EL VOCERO)
https://www.elvocero.com/el-mundo/latinoamerica/madres-con-hijos-de-la-comunidad-lgbtq-unen-fuerzas-en-am-rica-latina-para-luchar/article_4d97fc72-6908-11ed-a0f2-d3f661189f21.html

“Mucho más que hablar con ‘e’, qué es ser no binarie” por Marina Prats (Huffington Post)
https://www.huffingtonpost.es/entry/personas-no-binarias-lgtbi_es_62c43fa2e4b065b10ad9a828

“No nos quitarán la risa” por Lucas Garófalo (Vice.com)
https://www.vice.com/es/article/n7jw5g/no-nos-quitaran-la-risa

“El Primer Comedor Comunitario LGBTQ de la Ciudad de México” por Delilah Friedler, fotos de Luis Pimental (Vice.com)
https://www.vice.com/en/article/88q4a4/el-primer-comedor-comunitario-lgbtq-de-la-ciudad-de-mexico

“Proyectos de ley anti LGBTQ+ en Florida son una “licencia para discriminar” y reviven el dolor de Pulse, dicen grupos locales” por Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio (Orlando Sentinel) https://www.orlandosentinel.com/espanol/os-es-legislatura-anti-gay-lgbtq-20220211-bmajnwpamzamvavt3z3ho44o6m-story.html

“Por qué los bisexuales, el colectivo no heterosexual más numeroso de España, siguen siendo invisibles en televisión” por Héctor Llanos Martínez (El País)
https://elpais.com/television/2022-06-30/por-que-la-bisexualidad-el-colectivo-no-heterosexual-mas-numeroso-de-espana-sigue-siendo-invisible-en-television.html

 

TV Journalism

For the very first time, this year’s TV Journalism nominees include ten exceptional entries. It’s an exciting development and a positive sign given the state of LGBTQ+ coverage on Spanish-language broadcast media not so long ago. These ten segments not only represent respectful and accurate coverage free of hateful biases, they focus on stories and subjects that are bravely changing the world for the better – activists and actors, students protests and surprise proposals, shelters serving LGBTQ immigrants and parents supporting their LGBTQ children, these are the stories that chart major moments for LGBTQ Spanish-speakers in the U.S. and beyond.

“Activistas exigen a Corrección trasladar de inmediato a Aurora a una cárcel de mujeres” (Teleonce) 

“Avanzan en Ohio y Texas propuestas similares a la ley ‘Don’t say gay’ de Florida’” Hoy Día (Telemundo) 

“Azafata le pide matrimonio a su novia piloto” Edición Digital (Univision)

“El ‘Chascas’ Valenzuela cuestiona la ley ‘No digas gay’ de Florida ‘Nos hizo retroceder 50 años’” Hoy Día (Telemundo)

“La Familia de la Sigla XX1” Primer Impacto (Univision) 

“Jesús Ociel Baena, la primera persona no binaria en América Latina en llegar a un cargo de magistrado electoral” (CNN Español) 

“La Magia de PFLAG” Despierta América (Univision)

“Mariachi Arcoíris: el grupo musical ‘queer’ que revoluciona el género” Primer Impacto (Univision)

“Protestan en 95 secundarias de Virginia por iniciativas del estado contra estudiantes transgénero” Noticias Univision Washington D.C. (Univision) 

“Vico Ortiz” Primer Impacto (Univision)

 

These shows and journalistic piece are so important. They not only display meaningful representation and elevate sorely needed voices, they are charting a path for shows the LGBTQ+ stories that follow. We hope you watch or read them and share!