"Pose" star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, also known as MJ Rodriguez, will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 33rd annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on April 2, the LGBTQ media advocacy group announced Wednesday.
The annual honor — named after a casting director who devoted his life to raising awareness in the entertainment industry about the discrimination faced by LGBTQ people and those living with HIV — recognizes queer media professionals who promote acceptance. Previous honorees include Laverne Cox, Jim Parsons, Wanda Sykes, Troye Sivan, Chaz Bono, Sir Ian McKellen and Melissa Etheridge.
“Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is an undeniable talent who is changing the way audiences understand trans people while breaking down barriers for the trans community and LGBTQ people of color within the entertainment industry,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “Her performance as Blanca on ‘Pose’ was one of the most important and impactful roles in the history of LGBTQ representation on television, and she continues to spearhead the future of trans visibility and inclusion in entertainment through her talent on screen, in music, and as a passionate activist.”
In January, Rodriguez, 31, took home the Golden Globe for best actress in a TV drama for her role as house mother and nurse Blanca on the FX show “Pose.” It marked the first time in history that a trans actress won a Golden Globe. It was also the first Golden Globe win for “Pose,” which premiered in 2018.
A few weeks later, Rodriguez posted a selfie on Instagram with the trophy after receiving it in the mail, writing, “Look a what came today !! @goldenglobes this thing is crazy heavy! @fxnetworks @poseonfx this darn things is a whole weapon! Thank you @mrrpmurphy @stevencanals and all my pose fam for opening the door!”
Rodriguez made history last summer after becoming the first transgender performer to be nominated for a lead acting Emmy. She is also the first transgender woman to win best television actress at the NAACP Image Awards.
In an interview with Variety, Rodriguez reflected on how being trans is a form of activism, saying: “I’m obviously fighting for my community simply because I’m trans, and I have to do that, and I do it because that’s my existence. I wake up in the morning, and that is my activism.”
The annual GLAAD Media Awards, which honor media for “fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues," will be held this year in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on April 2 and in New York City at the Hilton Midtown on May 6.
This story first appeared on Today.com
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