The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored content showcasing the lives of queer people, people of color, and women during their nominations for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, reported the Advocate.
A number of LGBTQ-inclusive productions were nominated back in July, including Queer Eye, Steven Universe, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Nominations were not only given to LGBTQ-centered productions, but LGBTQ performers as well. Among them were Ellen DeGeneres, Tituss Burgess, Kate McKinnon, Evan Rachel Wood, Tim Gunn, Lily Tomlin, Jane Lynch, Samira Wiley, Sarah Paulson, and Cherry Jones.
Out producer and director Ryan Murphy received nominations for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and bisexual director Carrie Brownstein was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series for her work on Portlandia.
RuPaul’s Drag Race made network history for VH1 with twelve nominations.
The competition reality show’s host, RuPaul Charles, replied to the news of the nominations in a statement to Billboard: “Making RuPaul’s Drag Race is a labor of love. The fact that members of the Television Academy have recognized that passion by nominating us for twelve Emmy’s is a true honor.”
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said the nominations were a “milestone moment for LGBTQ inclusion on television.”
“Emmy voters today sent a clear message of inclusion and acceptance which should be a signal for Hollywood to continue to tell powerful and impactful LGBTQ stories,” she said.
RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye took home wins this past weekend (September 9 and 10) at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, where most of the awards are presented.
Drag Race won Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Programming, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special, and Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program. Charles won Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.
Queer Eye won Outstanding Structured Reality Program, Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program, and Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
The new Atlanta-based reality show beat out longtime winners in these categories, like The Voice and Shark Tank.
The foodie of the show, Antoni Porowski, tweeted about the wins, saying, “Love and inclusion takes (sic) front stage.”
The remaining awards will be given at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, which will air on September 17 on NBC.