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Benjamin Law joins GLAAD forum in Sydney

Mardi Gras Film Festival event will discuss the visibility of LGBTIQ people on screen in Australia.

Benjamin Law (The Family Law, pictured) and comedian Jordan Raskopoulos will join two directors of US advocacy group GLAAD for a free forum in Sydney, ‘In Conversation with GLAAD: Accelerating LGBTIQ Acceptance Through the Media.’

Presented as part of the Mardi Gras Film Festival, Ross Murray and Ray Bradford from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (US), will discuss the power of news and entertainment media to fast track the social inclusion of LGBTIQ people in Australia.

The event presented by Screen NSW, Queer Screen, NSW LGBTI health organisation ACON, Foxtel and the Australian Film TV and Radio School (AFTRS) will be hosted by Fenella Kernebone.

Mardi Gras Film Festival Director Paul Struthers said the event will be entertaining as well as informative: “GLAAD is highly influential in the media sector in the US, particularly in Hollywood where each year the organisation hosts the high profile GLAAD Media Awards.

“This is the first time GLAAD has visited Australia and this special community forum provides a fascinating opportunity for us to go behind the scenes and find out how GLAAD works with filmmakers, TV producers, journalists, other media creatives to give LGBTIQ people a fair go on the page and the screen. Benjamin, Jordan and Fenella will help explore the Australian context and how we can improve our own local practice.”

“America’s biggest cultural export is our media, meaning that the representations that are created in Hollywood are seen in Australia and around the world,” said Ross Murray, GLAAD’s Director of Programs, Global and US South. “Visibility and accuracy matters when it comes to LGBTIQ people, especially at this crucial time in Australia and the US. We are coming to listen and learn, as well as share what we’ve learned through over 30 years of media advocacy.”

Grainne Brunsdon, Head of Strategy and Industry Development at Screen NSW said: “Embracing diversity has many benefits for content producers and we’re delighted to be working with our community and industry partners to help improve the representation of LGBTIQ people across the full media spectrum with these special GLAAD events.“

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill said: “Whether it’s on the street, in the workplace, or on the screen, bias, discrimination and exclusion have a range of negative impacts on the mental health of LGBTI people. We hope these events with GLAAD will help address this issue.”

The two GLAAD directors – Ross Murray and Ray Bradford – will also be special guests at a high level media industry roundtable in Sydney with senior executives from Australia’s print, radio, TV, digital media and screen production industries. Supported by Foxtel and AFTRS, the roundtable aims to brief decision makers in the media about the business benefits of LGBTIQ-inclusive content and programming.

Ross Murray is GLAAD’s Director of Programs focusing on LGBTIQ people in the US South, and advocates across the globe, with a particular interest in LGBTIQ and faith communities. As Director of Programs for Entertainment Media, Ray Bradford works with creators across all entertainment platforms, as well as allies, to promote fair, accurate and inclusive content that accelerates acceptance of LGBTIQ lives.

Tuesday February 28 at 6.30pm.
Giant Dwarf Theatre, 199 Cleveland St, Redfern
Seating is limited so bookings are essential: www.tix.queerscreen.org.au

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