WASHINGTON, March 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PFLAG National will hold its third annual Straight for Equality Awards Gala on Monday, March 14 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. Straight for Equality — a national outreach and education project created by PFLAG National — educates and empowers straight allies to advocate for and support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
This year's honorees are Academy Award®-nominated actress Rosie Perez (DO THE RIGHT THING, FEARLESS), who will receive the Straight For Equality in Entertainment award, champion college wrestler-turned-coach Hudson Taylor, who will receive the Straight for Equality in Sports award, and best-selling author Charlaine Harris (The SOOKIE STACKHOUSE series, basis for the HBO series TRUE BLOOD), who will receive the first-ever Straight for Equality in Literature award. Financial services leader MetLife will receive the Straight for Equality in Business award.
"Our recipients this year are true examples of what allies can achieve when they speak out for the rights of all people," said Jody Huckaby, Executive Director of PFLAG National. "I am honored to stand with Ms. Perez, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Harris in the important work of achieving GLBT equality, and to recognize and celebrate MetLife's continued commitment to full GLBT inclusiveness and equality in the workplace."
"Sports are vital frontiers for cultivating a more equal and respectful country," stated Sports honoree Hudson Taylor. "I am blessed to stand alongside the inspiring and committed PFLAG National family in pursuit of that goal, and could not be more honored or humbled to receive this Straight for Equality Award." First to win the award for Literature, novelist Charlaine Harris echoed the sentiment, "I'm excited and honored to be the recipient of this very meaningful award."
The third annual Straight for Equality Awards Gala will be hosted by comedian and Emmy®-nominated comedy writer Carol Leifer (MODERN FAMILY, SEINFELD), and will feature a special performance by five-time Grammy® Award nominee Michael Feinstein. Also appearing will be actor Wilson Cruz (RENT, MY SO-CALLED LIFE) and Clare Buffie, reigning Miss New York, top 12 runner-up in the Miss America pageant, and the first to run on a GLBT equality platform.
Click to learn more about the 2011 Straight for Equality Awards Gala, or visit www.straightforequality.org/2011gala.
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is the nation's foremost family-based organization committed to the civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Founded in 1973 by mothers and fathers, PFLAG has 200,000 members and supporters in more than 300 chapters throughout the United States. To learn more, please visit www.pflag.org .
Straight for Equality is a project of PFLAG National. It was launched in 2007 to invite, educate, and engage straight individuals to have the discussions necessary to move equality forward for their gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender friends in simple, nonpolitical ways. Learn more at www.straightforequality.org today.
