The GLORIAs return

The second annual Gay and Lesbian Outrageous, Ridiculous and Ignorant comments Awards (GLORIAs) will once again give the public the opportunity to nominate and vote for the worst comments they have read, seen or heard about the GLBTI community during the last year.

“Every day there are public comments about people in the GLBTI community that are ignorant, unhelpful and sometimes dangerous,” GLORIAs organiser Penny Sharpe MLC said.

“The GLORIAs shine a light on these comments and provide an opportunity to expose homophobia and transphobia in our community in a fun way.”

The deadline for nominations for eight categories including media, sport, politics, law, religion, online, international, and ‘silliest comment made from within the GLBTI community’ is May 12 with online voting starting on May 13.

Voting will close at 5pm on Friday, June 3 with the winners announced at an awards night and dinner held in the NSW Parliament’s Strangers Dining Room from 6.30pm that evening.

Sharpe said last year’s winner in the religious category was already champing at the bit.

“Jim Wallace from the Australian Christian Lobby has already been nominated for his Anzac Day comment, ‘Just hope that as we remember Servicemen and women today we remember the Australia they fought for — wasn’t gay marriage and Islamic!’ ” Sharpe said.

The Golden GLORIA, for the worst comment of the year, will be decided at the dinner by a ‘boo-off’. Last year it was won by the federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott.

Tickets for the event are $130 and include a three-course meal and drinks. The event is not a political fundraiser.

info: Visit www.theglorias.com.au