Pose star MJ Rodriguez will be receiving an award from GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, during the Dorians TV Toast 2021. This comes after the transgender performer scored a leading-role Emmy nomination for her time on Pose as Blanca Evangelista. She is the first to receive such a nomination and it’s honestly what she deserves and then some.
The Dorians TV Toast 2021 will be airing Sunday evening, August 29th at 8 pm EST on Here TV and the PlanetOut channel on Youtube. Karel, an LA broadcasting veteran and LGBTQ rights activist will host the program thanks to it being pre-recorded. The host also acts as executive producer of the Dorians TV Toast 2021.
During an interview segment of the show, Rodriguez is credited as saying that her GALECA Trailblazer award carries an extra and unique meaning because it comes from “my community.” Also, thanks to Rodriguez and those that worked on Pose together, there is now a generation that knows what the transgender experience is truly like.
“There’s a generation behind me that needs to know what transness looks like, and also how we are being represented in the world. I’m going to keep trying my best and instill hope,” Rodriguez explained in a candid manner that reflects the kind of person she is and will continue to be whether she’s acting on the Apple TV+ series Loot or dropping singles like “Something to Say.”
GALECA’s President, Monika Estrella Negra added that “Michaela Jaé is an extraordinarily talented actress and musician and it is our honor to celebrate her talents with the LGBTQIA+ Trailblazer Award.” She continued on by saying, “With trans women of color being the most vulnerable in our society, it is inspiring to witness Michaela breaking down doors in order to let others in. This award is much deserved and I am so excited to see what the future holds for her.”
Additional Dorian TV Award winners will be revealed across 15 categories during its Dorians TV Toast, from Best LGBTQ Show to Best Unsung Show and Best TV Comedy. And Jean Smart, Bowen Yang, and Jason Sudekis are among the stars vying for the group’s 12th annual Dorian honors. A full list of nominees can be seen here with a note that all categories are gender-neutral.
GALECA is an all-volunteer nonprofit professional organization of LGBTQ entertainment critics that sponsors the Dorian Awards, named after and as a nod to famed gay author Oscar Wilde. Members of GALECA vote in the Dorian Awards and they honor all sorts of content, from general to LGBTQ.
The Dorians TV Toast will be broadcast on Here TV and YouTube’s PlanetOut at 8 p.m. ET.