Amy Schneider, the first woman to win more than $1 million on Jeopardy!, made an appearance at the White House briefing room to highlight the Biden administration's recognition of the International Transgender Day of Visibility Thursday (March 31).

According to a White House pool reporter, Schneider told the journalists assembled there that recent legislation prohibiting transgender children -- Schneider is transgender -- from participating in school spots and preventing teachers from discussing LGBT issues is "really scary."

Schneider also met with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and planned to meet with some transgender youth as well.

In a proclamation on the Day of Visibility, President Biden said he and his administration sees transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people for what they are, "deserving of dignity, respect, and support."

"Like never before, they are sharing their stories in books and magazines; breaking glass ceilings of representation on television and movie screens; enlisting -- once again -- to serve proudly and openly in our military; getting elected and making policy at every level of government; and running businesses, curing diseases, and serving our communities in countless other ways."

On the TV front, on Thursday, Caitlyn Jenner, one of the highest profile transgender people in the country, was signed by Fox News as a commentator and analyst across various platforms.

President Biden also spoke about local government efforts targeted to the LGBTQ community. "Efforts to criminalize supportive medical care for transgender kids, to ban transgender children from playing sports, and to outlaw discussing LGBTQI+ people in schools undermine their humanity and corrode our Nation's values," he said. ■

The 33rd annual GLAAD Media Awards nominations are out, and here are a few takeaways from the selections within the television category.

Streaming services continue to garner award recognitions, with services such as Netflix, Hulu and Peacock drawing a total of 63 nominations for GLAAD Awards, which honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues. Netflix drew 17 nominations – second only to the combined HBO/HBO Max’s 19 nods. Hulu garnered seven nominations, and Peacock pulled in four nominations, according to the organization. 

GLAAD added a new TV series category to recognize the increasing number of new shows portraying what the organization says are fair, accurate and multi-dimensional LGBTQ characters and storylines. Among the 10 series nominated in the category are Emmy-winning series Hacks and NAACP Image Awards-nominated series Harlem. 

As anti-transgender violence continues to rise across the country, numerous television shows have prominently showcased transgendered people and issues within their main storylines. Of the 30 television shows nominated for best comedy, drama and new series, nearly 20 shows feature trans and/or nonbinary characters, including Pose, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Star Trek: Discovery and The Chi, according to the organization. 

Also: GLAAD's Sarah Kate Ellis Primes TV's 'Empathy Machine' 

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will be held in Los Angeles on April 2 and in New York on May 6.

The GLAAD Awards nominations in the television category are as follows: 

Outstanding Comedy Series

Dickinson (Apple TV+)

Gentefied (Netflix)

Love, Victor (Hulu)

The Other Two (HBO Max)

Saved by the Bell (Peacock)

Sex Education (Netflix)

Shrill (Hulu)

Special (Netflix)

Twenties (BET)

Work in Progress (Showtime)

Outstanding Drama Series

9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)

Batwoman (The CW)

The Chi (Showtime)

Doom Patrol (HBO Max)

Good Trouble (Freeform)

Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime)

Pose (FX)

Star Trek: Discovery (Paramount+)

Supergirl (The CW)

Outstanding New TV Series

4400 (The CW)

Chucky (Syfy/USA Network)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Harlem (Prime Video)

The Long Call (BritBox)

The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO Max)

Sort Of (HBO Max)

With Love (Prime Video)

Y: The Last Man (FX)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Outstanding TV Movie

The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (Hallmark Channel)

The Fear Street Trilogy (Netflix)

Nash Bridges (USA Network)

Single All the Way (Netflix)

Under the Christmas Tree (Lifetime)

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

Dopesick (Hulu)

Halston (Netflix)

It's a Sin (HBO Max)

Little Birds (Starz)

Love Life (HBO Max)

Master of None Presents: Moments in Love (Netflix)

Rurangi (Hulu)

Station Eleven (HBO Max)

Vigil (Peacock)

The White Lotus (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Program

12 Dates of Christmas (HBO Max)

Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

Family Karma (Bravo)

I Am Jazz (TLC)

Legendary (HBO Max)

MTV's Following: Bretman Rock (MTV)

Queer Eye (Netflix)

RuPaul's Drag Race (VH1)

The Voice (NBC)

We're Here (HBO)

Outstanding Documentary

Changing the Game (Hulu)

"Cured" Independent Lens (PBS)

Flee (NEON)

The Lady and The Dale (HBO)

The Legend of the Underground (HBO)

No Ordinary Man (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

Nuclear Family (HBO)

"Pier Kids" POV (PBS)

Pray Away (Netflix)

Pride (FX)

Outstanding Children’s Programming

"Berry Bounty Banquet" Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City (WildBrain Studios/YouTube Kids)

City of Ghosts (Netflix)

"Family Day" Sesame Street (HBO Max)

"Gonzo-rella" Muppet Babies (Disney Junior)

"Joie de Jonathan" Fancy Nancy (Disney Junior)

Ridley Jones (Netflix)

Rugrats (Paramount+)

Summer Camp Island (Cartoon Network/HBO Max)

We The People (Netflix)

"Whatever Floats Your Float" Madagascar: A Little Wild (Hulu/Peacock)

Outstanding Kids & Family Programming

Amphibia (Disney Channel)

Centaurworld (Netflix)

"Claudia and the Sad Goodbye" The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)

Diary of a Future President (Disney+)

Doogie Kamealoha, MD (Disney+)

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)

The Loud House (Nickelodeon)

"Manlee Men" Danger Force (Nickelodeon)

The Owl House (Disney Channel)

Power Rangers: Dino Fury (Nickelodeon/Netflix)

As Pride Month celebrations continue, a recent survey from advocacy group GLAAD reports a greater acceptance of the LGBTQ community among the public as more gay and lesbian characters are portrayed on television.

GLAAD’s LGBTQ Inclusion in Advertising and Media survey reported that 48% of respondents who had been exposed to LGBTQ people in the media said they are more accepting of gay and lesbian people, compared to 35% of respondents who had not recently seen LGBTQ people in the media.

GLAAD chief communications officer Rich Ferraro discussed the results of GLAAD’s survey as well as the organization’s advocacy plans beyond Pride Month in a wide-ranging interview, an edited version of which appears below.

Before we begin, what is your reaction to the recent Supreme Court ruling on LGBTQ workplace protections?

The Supreme Court’s historic ruling protecting LGBTQ people from being fired for being LGBTQ is a moment to celebrate, but it is long overdue. It’s shocking that still in 2020 our dignity is being debated and decided upon by the highest Court in the land. The ruling is a reminder for how far LGBTQ have to go for full equality, particularly at a time when the number of murders of Black transgender women are rising and when conversion therapy – the dangerous and debunked practice of trying to change the sexual orientation of LGBTQ youth – is still allowed in many states. So while we can celebrate that a conservative leaning Supreme Court granted us a basic right, we are reminded of how far LGBTQ have yet to go.

What is the correlation between the increase in the public’s acceptance of the LGBTQ community as sited in GLAAD’s report and the rising number of gay and lesbian characters on television?

Over the past few years, we've definitely seen an uptick of characters across broadcast streaming and cable who are LGBTQ. I think that's a reflection of the world that we're living in where there are more LGBTQ people visible and being out. What our latest report showed is that non-LGBTQ people are comfortable with this. I think that's a big permission slip for the industry to do more and do better, and by do better I mean it's not just enough to have an LGBTQ character in a secondary role these days. What we should be looking at is how we can focus more on diverse LGBTQ people and stories.

Are you satisfied with the progress the media has made in the positive reflection of LGBTQ characters?

It's still a mixed bag when it comes to the quality and diversity of LGBTQ people. There are shows like Pose (pictured) which has really raised the bar for representation of LGBTQ people on TV. The show centers on trans issues, HIV and other issues that for too long were missing from television and from the industry. I think there are some networks and streaming services like Netflix that are recognizing this and are creating content to meet that need. We're having discussions with casting directors to make sure that there are queer voices at the table to represent the community in the best way. We're not saying every character on TV has to be an LGBTQ hero, although it would be great to see more LGBTQ superheroes. What we're asking for is accurate and diverse depictions. They don't always have to be positive because LGBTQ people do have struggles, and I think that those struggles and those issues are often glossed over by the industry.

In the GLAAD study, 85% of respondents believe companies that feature LGBTQ characters in their advertisements reflect a commitment to offering products to all types of customers. Does that show that inclusion is good for a company’s bottom line?

Inclusion is good for business and good for your brand. Research has shown that when people see us in the media, they're more likely to accept LGBTQ people and issues and those brands that associate with it. I think that's a big shift from just a few years ago when media companies and brands were concerned about including LGBTQ people, because they thought the general public would respond negatively. But now we're hearing that the general public is ready to see more LGBTQ stories, so the next step is to make sure that those stories are presented in ways that fairly and accurately reflect our diversity.

What next’s up for GLAAD in terms of what the organization is doing within the marketplace?

This year we entered a Pride Month in which over 205 marches and festivals were canceled or postponed, and where our safe spaces -- bars, LGBTQ community centers and nightclubs -- were closed, leaving some LGBTQ people -- especially youth -- to isolate in homes that are not affirming. So people are turning to the media, and we wanted to make sure that the industry heard that LGBTQ visibility is good for business and it's good for the world. We are also centering our messaging on content featuring LGBTQ people of color, specifically black LGBTQ people.There are so many intersectional issues right now that often go unnoticed as LGBTQ issues … LGBTQ people of color are victims of police brutality and are living in a racist society, and more and more of the LGBTQ movement and our organizations are standing with those individuals and with those communities. It's so important for our community to hear from black LGBTQ voices during this time and going forward.

Actress/producer Whoopi Goldberg has teamed with Oxygen to develop Strut, a reality series that follows the lives of several transgender models that premieres on the network Sept. 20. Goldberg, Strut’s executive producer, recently spoke with Multichannel News programming editor R. Thomas Umstead about the show, as well as her key role in ABC’s daytime talk show The View, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. An edited excerpt follows.

MCN:What should viewers expect fromStrut?

Whoopi Goldberg: It’s kind of amazing. Most people don’t realize that there have been transgender models for years. We’re dealing with real people in the show. We deal with parents and kids and brothers and sisters, and religion, as these folks are trying to find their way on the runway. We’re trying to hit on a lot of different levels while understanding that this is not something new.

MCN:It’s not something new, but it may be new to many Oxygen viewers. Do you have any concerns about what viewer reaction will be to these young men and women profiled in the series?

WG: I don’t. People will either get it or they won’t. We’re hoping that this will help reach people who may not be aware of it, but also people who are struggling with it. One of the things that people keep saying is “God doesn’t make mistakes” … I always say, “God does not make mistakes, but Mother Nature will mess with you forever.” We get quadruplets and twins — we have hermaphrodites that are born.

There are so many things that happen to us as human beings that when someone says, “I don’t think I’m in the right body,” why would you doubt that? It’s not like it’s going to make them popular; they do it because they realize that there’s some difference that they need to deal with.

We see what happens when people are closed off to folks who are different — there’s a high rate of suicide, we get a high rate of folks working in the sex industry because no other industry is accepting. What they don’t realize is that they’ve known folks like this for a very long time, whether its male-to-female or vice versa. So we’re not telling you what to think — we just want you to know that you need to be aware when talking to people that you have to be respectful.

MCN:What does Oxygen bring to the table?

WG: The ability to put it on the air without anyone going, “Can you make them more like women?” They didn’t do any of that. They thought that this was an important conversation to have given what’s going on in the world. These are folks who have been modeling for a while, and it’s pretty brave to let folks know who you are, where you are going and what your dreams are. That’s what this is about. We didn’t want anything salacious.

MCN:Do you see this show potentially reaching beyond Oxygen’s traditionally female-skewing audience?

WG: I do. There are a lot of folks that we will never know that are affected by this very issue, whether they’ve begun the transition, or they’re thinking about it or want to talk to someone about it, or are looking for answers. We may be able to help them and make them feel better about the world they’re living in. We can say, “You’re not alone — we’re here and here’s what people are doing to change the conversation.” I’m really proud of all of our models, because it’s not an easy thing to come out and say that I’m different — here’s what I’m going through and here’s why I’m going through it. Here’s what I believe, and I have a parent that believes something different. I hope people will watch it with an open mind and an open heart.

MCN:I’d be remiss if I didn’t congratulate you on the 20th anniversary ofThe View. Did you thinkThe Viewwould reach the 20-year mark when you started?

WG: I had no idea how long I’d been on the show. (Laughs.) This was Barbara Walters’s idea, so congratulations to her.

MCN:Do you thinkThe Viewhas transcended the talk show category and become more of a trend-setter for the genre?

WG: I came to it late and I never watched it before I became involved in it, so I don’t know where they came from. I think it has spawned a lot of other shows, but they can’t do what that show does. That show has the ability to talk about everything from sex to politics, and everyone has a different opinion. I see lots of people trying to do it, but I don’t see anyone doing it as well as The View has.

The number of LGBT characters on broadcast and cable networks continues to increase, but transgender characters are virtually absent on primetime cable and broadcast network lineups, according to a new report from LGBT media advocacy group GLAAD.

The organization’s Where We Are On Tv report states that the number of LGBT characters on cable networks increased to 84 from 64, while recurring characters increased to 58 from 41, according to the survey. ABC Family and Showtime lead the pack with 18 regular or recurring characters, according to the survey.

ABC Family’s The Fosters featured the most inclusive cast with seven LGBT characters.

On the broadcast networks, LGBT characters represented 35 out of 881 series regular characters -- an increase from 32 reported last year, according to GLAAD.

The report also concluded that only three recurring transgender characters appear on cable networks during primetime hours, while none of the major broadcast networks feature such characters during the 8 to 11 p.m. hour.

Only seven transgender characters appear on series from OTT services such as Netflix and Hulu, according to GLAAD.

"Each of us lives at the intersection of many identities and it's important that television characters reflect the full diversity of the LGBT community," said Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO & President of GLAAD in a statement. "It is not enough to just include LGBT characters; those characters need to be portrayed with thought and care to accurately represent an often tokenized community."

From a diversity standpoint, nearly three-fourths of all LGBT characters represented on cable, broadcast and streaming services are white, according to the survey.

Overall racial diversity is increasing though, with 33% of regular characters on primetime scripted broadcast programming were people of color -- a six-point increase from last year, according to the survey. African-American characters made up 16% of all regular characters on television --the highest percentage since GLADD began compiling racial data 11 years ago. Of the 145 African-American characters counted, only 59 were female, according to the survey.

Racially diverse LGBT characters are notably lacking on all platforms with 71% (cable) and 73% (streaming services) of LGBT characters being white. 

E! in July will launch its new reality series profiling the life of Caitlyn Jenner -- formerly Bruce Jenner -- the network said Wednesday.

The series, I Am Cait, will premiere July 26 and will follow the former Olympic Gold medalist as she seeks out her "new normal" as as a transgender woman, according to network officials. 

The eight-part, one-hour series will also air on E! channels internationally in more than 120 countries. I Am Cait will be produced by Bunim/Murray Productions.

The announcement comes on the heels of the release earler this week of Jenner's much publicized first photos in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair and ESPN's announcement that she will receive this year's Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs.