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Scandal’s Kerry Washington Gives Stirring Speech At GLAAD Awards

Actress called for more LGBT representation in the media as she accepted the coveted Vanguard Award

Kerry Washington gave a rousing call to action at the GLAAD Awards this weekend, demanding the representation of more LGBT characters in the media.

The ‘Scandal’ actress was presented with the Vanguard Award for her work as an ally of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community and took the opportunity to give a stirring speech about the lack of three-dimensional portrayals of lesbian, gay, bi and transsexual characters on our screens.

Kerry Washington has called for more three-dimensional portrayals of LGBT characters on our screens [Getty]
Kerry Washington has called for more three-dimensional portrayals of LGBT characters on our screens [Getty]


“Having your story told as a woman, as a person of colour, as a lesbian or as a trans person or as any member of any disenfranchised community is sadly often still a radical idea,” Kerry explained to the audience and those watching at home.

“We need more LGBT representation in the media. We need more LGBT characters and more LGBT storytelling. We need more diverse LGBT representation, and by that I mean lots of different kinds of LGBT people living all kinds of lives. We need more employment of LGBT people in front of and behind the camera.”

The 38-year-old’s speech earned her thunderous applause and a standing ovation, as she called on all those ‘others’ to not only recognise that over time they have been ‘pitted against’ each other but that now is the time to ‘band together’.

'We have been pitted against each other', Washington told the crowd at the GLAAD awards [Getty]
'We have been pitted against each other', Washington told the crowd at the GLAAD awards [Getty]


“There are people in this would who have the full rights of citizenship, in our communities our countries and around the world. And then there are those of us who, to varying degrees, do not. We don’t have equal access to education, healthcare and some other basic liberties like marriage, a fair voting process, fair hiring practices.

“Now you would think that those of us who are kept from our full rights of citizenship would band together and fight the good fight. But history tells us that no, often we don’t. Women, poor people, people of colour, people with disabilities, immigrants, gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans people, intersex people – we have been pitted against each other and made to feel like there are limited seats at the table for those of us who fall into the category of ‘other’.

“As a result we have become afraid of one another. We compete with one another other. We judge one another. Sometimes, we betray one another.”

Washington plays Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes' Scandal [Rex]
Washington plays Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes' Scandal [Rex]


Touching on the subject of gay marriage, Kerry pointed out the cruel irony in one marginalised group attempting to deny the fundamental rights of another and why this needs to stop now.

"When black people today tell me that they don't believe in gay marriage… the first thing that I say is 'please don't let anybody try to get you to vote against your own best interest by feeding you messages of hate.' Then I say 'you know people used to say stuff like that about you and your love.'"

“We must be allies. And we must be allies in this business because to be represented is to be humanised. And as long as anyone, anywhere is being made to feel less human, our very definition of humanity is at stake and we are all vulnerable.”

Kerry’s powerful speech comes a month after Patricia Arquette called for oppressed groups to support equal pay for women, claiming: ‘we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s time to have wage equality once and for all’.

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