GLAAD Media Award For Outstanding Documentary
The award is one of the few to date back to the 1st GLAAD Media Awards in 1990, where it was given to Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt. While no documentary was recognized in 1991 or 1993, the award has been present at every ceremony since the 5th GLAAD Media Awards in 1994. It has been jointly awarded on three occasions, having been given to two documentaries in 1995 and 2014, and three in 1996, when Ballot Measure 9, The Celluloid Closet, and The Question of Equality were all recognized.
For a documentary to be eligible, it must either receive a theatrical release or air on television in more than one local market. Documentaries receiving a theatrical release must be distributed by a recognized film distribution company and play for paid admission for seven consecutive days, while televised ones must air on television within two years of completion. The award is given to the documentary and may be accepted by any of the producers, directors, or individuals featured in the documentary. Documentaries selected by GLAAD are evaluated based on four criteria: "Fair, Accurate, and Inclusive Representations" of the LGBT community, "Boldness and Originality" of the project, significant "Impact" on mainstream culture, and "Overall Quality" of the project. GLAAD monitors mainstream media to identify which documentaries will be nominated, while also issuing a call for entries that encourages media outlets to submit documentaries for consideration. By contrast, in order for documentaries created by and for LGBT audiences to be considered for nomination, they must be submitted after the call for entries. Winners are determined by a plurality vote by GLAAD staff and its board, Shareholders Circle members, volunteers and affiliated individuals.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 39 documentaries. The only television programs to have been nominated twice are MTV's The Real World and True Life, both of which won once. The Real World won for its third season The Real World: San Francisco in 1995, and True Life for the episode "I'm Gay and I'm Getting Married" in 2005. At the 35th GLAAD Media Awards in 2024, the award was given to Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later, Kokomo City, and The Stroll.
Winners and nominees
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |
1990s
| Award year | Documentary | Distributor / Network | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 (1st) |
Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt ‡ | Direct Cinema | |
| 1992 (3rd) |
Paris Is Burning ‡ | Off-White Productions / Prestige Pictures | |
| 1994 (5th) |
Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives ‡ | Women Make Movies | |
| 1995 (6th) |
Coming Out Under Fire ‡ | Deep Focus Films | |
| The Real World: San Francisco ‡ | MTV | ||
| 1996 (7th) |
Ballot Measure 9 ‡ | Sovereign Distribution | |
| The Celluloid Closet ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | ||
| The Question of Equality ‡ | PBS | ||
| 1997 (8th) |
It's Elementary: Talking About Gay Issues in School ‡ | New Day Films | |
| 1998 (9th) |
Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer's End ‡ | Cinemax | |
| Behind the Music: "Boy George" | VH1 | ||
| Hide and Seek | PBS | ||
| I Shall Not Be Removed: The Life of Marlon Riggs | |||
| Licensed to Kill | |||
| 1999 (10th) |
Out of the Past ‡ | PBS | |
| The Brandon Teena Story | Zeitgeist Films | ||
| Dear Jesse | Cowboy Pictures | ||
| The Real Ellen Story | Bravo | ||
| San Francisco Neighborhoods: The Castro | PBS |