GLAAD To Honor Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper will receive the Vito Russo Award during the 2013 GLAAD Media Awards in New York City next month.

Past recipients of the Vito Russo Award include Sir Elton John, Ricky Martin, and Rosie O’Donnell. “By sharing his own experiences as a gay man, Anderson has reminded millions of Americans that LGBT people are part of their everyday lives and an integral part of our cultural fabric,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick in a statement. “He continues to raise the bar and set a new standard for journalists everywhere, and I’m proud to call him a friend.” Cooper, whose sexual orientation had long been a secret to the general public, revealed that he was gay in a letter to The Daily Beast’s Andrew Sullivan last summer.