Derrick Martin was presented with the Courage Award on June 12, 2010, from LifeWorks, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center’s youth mentoring program.

The gay Georgia teen who who decided to take his boyfriend to high school prom earlier this year, and was subsequently kicked out of his parent’s home, launched an outreach organization on Monday to help LGBTQ youth.

“Thanks to the kindness of strangers, I survived abandonment for the ‘crime’ of being gay and young,” said Derrick Martin, 18, in announcing the creation of Project LifeVest, an organization to assist teens who are in situations similar to his — facing abandonment, abuse, or discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“My situation and the attention it has drawn have provided me a unique perspective and opportunity that I feel I cannot pass up”, Martin said.

“Young people who, like myself, have been disadvantaged because of discrimination, hate, or ignorance need somewhere to turn for help. GLAAD was my life vest, and I plan to be a life vest to as many others as I can. I only want those who face obstacles like mine to know that they are not alone, for everyone has the right to love regardless of sexual orientation.”

In March, Martin won the approval of his school to take his then-boyfriend, Richard Goodman, to the senior prom at Bleckley County High School in Cochran, GA. His parents disapproved, and kicked him out of the family home; some classmates protested, and Martin became the object of death threats.

But when Martin’s story made national headlines, gay rights supporters from around the country came to his aid. He and Goodman attended the prom on April 17 without incident.

“If I have anything to say about it, no one else will ever have to go through what I did. Project LifeVest is my ‘give back’ for the critical help caring people around the country extended to me when I needed it.”

Martin told LGBTQ Nation that Project LifeVest is being launched using his life savings, but has plans to seek funding; the organization is also accepting donations at its website.

Martin also plans to attend Georgia Southern University in August, where he will study pre-law.

DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres presented a $30,000 scholarship on behalf of Tonic.com Friday to a teenage lesbian whose high school prom was canceled when she asked to attend with a girl.

Constance McMillen, 18, appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about her experience and at the end of the segment DeGeneres, who is a lesbian, presented her with the check to be used toward her college education.

“I admire you so much,” DeGeneres told the high school senior from Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, MS.

“When I was your age I never would have had the strength to do what you are doing.”

Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against the school after the school district decided to cancel this year’s prom rather than allow McMillen attend the dance with her girlfriend. McMillen also had asked to wear a tuxedo to the prom, but was told by the school that girls must wear gowns.

DeGeneres said she had offered to pay for a private prom for McMillen and her classmates, but McMillen said she wanted the school district to hold the dance.

The scholarship came from funds raised on Tonic.com and through an anonymous donor, as well as the website’s founder.

Tonic also offered McMillen an internship, but no word yet whether McMillen has accepted the offer.

Here’s a clip from Friday’s Ellen broadcast:

Phillips appeared in the award winning segment “Why Will Won’t Pledge Allegiance” from CNN’s American Morning.

Back in November, the 10-year-old Arkansas boy decided that he could not, in good conscience, pledge allegiance to the flag as long as the country for which it stands refuses legal equality to its LGBT citizens.

“A message to President Obama: I know there are certain political restraints that make action difficult, however, lack of equality for some is lack of equality for all, and I think it’s time for us all to get equal.” – Will Phillips

Watch the future activist’s speech here:

Cynthia Nixon (left) and Joy Behar

Nixon was honored for her work fighting for gay marriage.

“We are bringing marriage back to its fundamentals and revitalizing it from its roots up,” the Sex and the City actress said at the award gala in New York City on Saturday night.

Behar, a co-host of ABC’s The View and host of her own nightly talk show on HLN, received the Excellence in Media award for advocating for gay rights issues on her shows.

Brothers & Sisters was handed the outstanding drama series award for its plot about a gay married couple looking to start a family.

Other GLAAD Media Awards presented include:

• Excellence in Media Award: Joy Behar
• Vito Russo Award: Cynthia Nixon
• Outstanding Drama Series: Brothers and Sisters (ABC)
• Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series: Prayers for Bobby (Lifetime)
• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Why Will Won’t Pledge Allegiance” American Morning (CNN)
• Outstanding Talk Show Episode: “Ellen DeGeneres and Her Wife, Portia de Rossi” on The Oprah Winfrey Show
• Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: “Uganda Be Kidding Me” (series) on The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC)

Complete list of awards are posted at GLAAD’s website.

Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe is hoping to stamp out homophobia by starring in a new campaign encouraging tolerance for all sexual orientations.

The Harry Potter star has filmed a public service announcement (PSA) on behalf of the Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth.

And the actor admits he was inspired to take a stand after coming across intolerant people for the first time as a teen, after growing up with several gay friends.

“I grew up knowing a lot of gay men, and it was never something that I even thought twice about – that some men were gay and some weren’t.

“And then I went to school and (for) the first time, I came across homophobia. I had never encountered it before. It shocked me,” Radcliffe said Friday.

“I have always hated anybody who is not tolerant of gay men or lesbians or bisexuals. Now I am in the very fortunate position where I can actually help or do something about it.”

And Radcliffe is hoping his star power will make people pay attention t o the PSA, due to air in the U.S. this spring.

He added, “I have described myself as being ‘gently eccentric’ and slightly different as a person just because I’ve had a very different set of influences growing up than anybody else in my peer group did.”

Last August, the Trevor Project announced that Radcliffe had made “a major donation” to the organization, and joined its Circle of Hope, a community of major donors which plays an essential role in providing the financial leadership that makes the organization’s lifesaving work possible.

Aiken

More than a year after disclosing he is gay, Clay Aiken is speaking before a gay-rights event in his hometown of Raleigh, NC, reports the Raleigh News & Observer.

This weekend, he will speak as part of the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas gala at the Raleigh Convention Center.

HRC provided a speechwriter to help Aiken, 31, with his remarks, but he decided to write his own. The original speech was too political, Aiken said, and included a slam aimed at George W. Bush.

“I don’t feel like this is the place to be horribly politically charged and bash people and talk about the wrongs that have been done,” he said. “My goal is to be hopeful, that it’s time for everyone to have equal rights.”

For Aiken, that means inheritance rights and hospital-visitation rights and all the other rights that heterosexual couples take for granted, including the right to be married.

Aiken made headlines in 2008 when he appeared on the cover of People magazine with the headline, “Yes, I’m gay.”

Meredith Baxter, the “Family Ties” actress who recently came out on the “Today” show, also will deliver a speech.

John McCain is a staunch opponent of gay marriage, but it has become clear this position is not supported in his own household.

His daughter, Meghan, is a vocal advocate for gay rights. Now his wife, Cindy, has appeared on behalf of the campaign, photographed with duct tape across her mouth and ”NOH8” written on one cheek.

Cindy McCain, for the NOH8 Campaign

John McCain’s office said in a statement that he respected the views of his family but remained opposed to gay marriage. “Senator McCain believes the sanctity of marriage is only defined as between one man and one woman,” it said. In 2008 McCain backed a measure in his home state of Arizona to ban same-sex marriage.

Meghan McCain also appears in the poster campaign. “I couldn’t be more proud of my mother for posing for the NOH8 campaign,” she wrote on Twitter. “I think more Republicans need to start taking a stand for equality.

Meghan McCain, for the NOH8 Campaign

The NOH8 Campaign is a photo project and silent protest launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support marriage equality, and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, law enforcement, politicians and more. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard.

Said the campaign: “We have a huge amount of respect for both of these women for being brave enough to make it known they support equal marriage rights for all Americans.”

Adam Bouska (left) and Jeff Parshley with the West Hollywood proclamation

The WEHO city council made the declaration on December 8 that Sunday, December 13 would be “No H8 Day” to mark the 1 year anniversary of the NO H8 Campaign, a photo project and silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley.

The campaign launched last year following the passage of Proposition 8 in California, which amended the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support marriage equality and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, law enforcement, politicians, and more.

The photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and “NO H8″ painted on one cheek in protest.

In the year, NO H8 has compiled over 2,200 solo photographs, and 350 group photos.

In celebration of its 1 year anniversary and the “NO H8″ Day proclamation in West Hollywood, Bouska and Parshley are hosting a party and photo shoot at the Marbella Night Club in Hollywood tonight. Details are on their website at NO H8 Campaign or on their Facebook fan page.

The 21 year-old college student was viciously murdered in Laramie, WY, bludgeoned to death while tied to a fence. Matthew was targeted because he was gay.

Matthew’s death and the subsequent trial and convictions of his attackers incited demonstrations and debates over gay rights. For many, it revealed the dangers of being gay in America, and for most gays and lesbians, it reaffirmed the risk they live with every day.

More than 10 years since Matthews’ death, his mother Judy Shepard’s continues to lead a movement for hate crimes legislation, and says there hasn’t been nearly enough progress on gay rights.

In her new book, The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed, Judy Shepard (pictured, below right) documents the terror and loss of her son, reliving her son’s life up until that fateful early morning in 1998, and the choice she made to become an international gay rights activist.

And the release of Judy’s book comes on the cusp of new legislation as Congress moves closer to passing the hate-crimes bill she has lobbied for a decade to pass. The Matthew Shepard Act would extend federal protections to people victimized because of sexual orientation.

Lawmakers, however, have tried, and failed, to pass federal hate crimes protections five times since 1997, and continue to bow out because pressure from conservatives who argue that the law would censor free speech.

Shepard, who makes some 50 speeches a year advocating for hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, may finally see that day come. Now, a Democratic-controlled Congress and a willing President Obama offer the best odds so far to amend the law.

And in her book, Judy Shepard hopes people see her son in a different way. For the first time in book form, she speaks about her loss, sharing memories of Matthew, their life as a typical American family, and the pivotal event in the small college town that changed everything.

The Meaning of Matthew… not only captures the historical significance and complicated civil rights issues surrounding one young man’s life and death, but it also chronicles one ordinary woman’s struggle to cope with the unthinkable.

He was “so much more than ‘Matthew Shepard, the gay 21-year-old University of Wyoming college student,’ ” she writes in an author’s note. “He had a family and countless friends. He had a life before the night he was tied to that fence.”

Pete Wentz, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Mark Hoppus, Tara Reid, Lukas Rossi, Taylor Dayne, Dawn Richard, Aubrey O’Day, DJ Tracy Young, Veronica Portillo, Candis Cayne, Madison Hildebrand, and Tabatha Coffey are featured in this latest PSA.

The campaign, launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley, is a silent photographic protest in response to the passage of California’s Proposition 8 in November 2008, which ammended the State constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians who support marriage equality, and has grown to include celebrities, military personnel, law enforcement, politicians and more. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and NOH8 painted on one cheek in protest.

Visit the NO H8 Campaign to find out more about how you can make your silence heard.

Catch the first PSA here.

In today’s announcement by the The Trevor Project, the organization said Radcliffe, 20, joined The Trevor Project’s Circle of Hope, a community of major donors which plays an essential role in providing the financial leadership that makes the organization’s lifesaving work possible

The Trevor Project was founded in 1998 by three filmmakers whose film, “Trevor,” a comedy/drama about a gay teenager who attempts suicide, received the 1994 Academy Award(R) for Best Short Film (Live Action). Since its founding, The Trevor Helpline has received hundreds of thousands of calls from LGBTQ youth across the country. In the past year alone, call volume to The Trevor Helpline has increased more than 300 percent.

“I am very pleased to begin my support of The Trevor Project, which saves lives every day through its critical work,” said Daniel Radcliffe. “It’s extremely distressing to consider that in 2009 suicide is a top three killer of young people, and it’s truly devastating to learn that LGBTQ youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. I deeply hope my support can raise the organization’s visibility so even more despondent youth become aware of The Trevor Helpline’s highly trained counselors and Trevor’s many other resources. It’s vitally important that young people understand they are not alone and, perhaps even more important, that their young lives have real value.”

In addition to The Trevor Helpline, the organization operates a number of other important programs, including “Dear Trevor,” an online question-and-answer forum for young people with questions surrounding sexual orientation and gender identity; The Trevor Survival Kit, an educational kit distributed to schools and youth service providers to help educators facilitate discussions about suicide, gender identity and sexual orientation; and TrevorSpace, an online social networking community for LGBTQ youth, their friends and allies. Radcliffe’s gift will help fund these efforts as well as the organization’s national education and advocacy work.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Daniel for his truly inspiring and historic generosity and support,” said Charles Robbins, executive director and chief executive officer, The Trevor Project. “He is setting a meaningful example for millions of young people around the world by embracing diversity and demonstrating that he cares deeply about the well-being of LGBTQ youth.”

After becoming aware of The Trevor Project and its mission, Radcliffe decided to become involved with the organization. His involvement began with financial support to assist The Trevor Project’s programmatic efforts. Moving forward, Radcliffe anticipates taking additional steps to help further broaden awareness of the organization.

The NOH8 Campaign is a photo project and silent protest launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley, which features subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard, and NOH8 painted on one cheek in protest.

Catch a clip of Kathy Griffin speaking out for Marriage Equality.

The campaign, launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley (pictured), began with portraits of everyday Californians who support marriage equality, and has grown to include celebrities, military personnel, law enforcement, politicians and more.

Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and NOH8 painted on one cheek in protest.

Visit the NO H8 Campaign to find out more about how you can make your silence heard.

Bouska

On November 4, 2008 Proposition 8 passed, amending California’s state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

In the wake of the defeat is a groundswell of initiative from within the community at a grassroots level, and new protest organizations are forming almost daily. Most recently, the NO H8 Campaign is a photo project and silent protest launched by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support marriage equality, and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, law enforcement, politicians and more. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and NOH8 painted on one cheek in protest.

The images are being spread virally on Facebook and other social sites, and are being used to raise awareness and money in the fight to repeal Prop 8 and enact marriage equality.