DC Entertainment to Be Honored at GLSEN Respect Awards for Championing LGBTQ Superheroes

GLSEN singled out DC for creating "Batwoman as the first lesbian super hero as a comic lead and Alysia Yeoh as the first trans character," while applauding DC TV shows 'Supergirl,' 'Arrow,' 'DC’s Legends of Tomorrow' and 'Gotham.'

At Sunday night's Emmy Awards, Lena Waithe stood onstage next to Master of None co-creator Aziz Ansari as the duo accepted the prize for outstanding writing in a comedy series. "Last, but certainly not least, my LGBQTIA family," she said to close out her affecting remarks. "I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world."

Her comments provide the most recent example of how powerful superheroes can be for those in the LGBTQ community. That is why GLSEN — the national education organization that champions LGBTQ students and issues in K-12 education — has selected DC Entertainment to receive its Visionary Award at the upcoming GLSEN Respect Awards on Oct. 20 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Said GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard: "Superheroes hold an incredibly powerful place in our popular culture. Equally powerful is for LGBTQ youth to see themselves in our world, and DC enables just that. DC's commitment to representing LGBTQ characters in all forms of media is both incredibly important and empowering."

Accepting on behalf of her company will be Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment and president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "At DC, we are committed to telling stories that reflect and inspire our diverse audience and we look forward to celebrating with the LGBTQ students and activists from across the country," Nelson said.

In making the announcement, GLSEN singled out DC Entertainment for "a commitment to showcasing diverse storylines" with characters like "Batwoman as the first lesbian super hero as a comic lead and Alysia Yeoh as the first trans character." Other notables include Midnighter, Catwoman, Renee Montoya and others. DC TV shows that feature LGBTQ characters include Supergirl, Arrow, DC's Legends of Tomorrow and Gotham.

As previously announced, Kerry Washington will receive the Inspiration Award, Zendaya is set to take home the Gamechanger Award, and Bruce Bozzi has been named as the recipient of the Champion Award. More information about the event can be found here.