PHOTOS: The Women of the GLAAD Media Awards 2015

The 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards took place at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Saturday night where 16 of this year’s 31 award recipients were announced. Our sibling site, The Advocate, took home the award for Outstanding Digital Journalism Article for the in-depth series “31 Days of PrEP”

Ellen DeGeneres presented Kerry Washington with GLAAD's Vanguard Award and Channing Tatum honored Roland Emmerich by presenting the out film director with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award.

The 2015 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release went to The Imitation Game, while How to Get Away with Murder received the award for Outstanding Drama Series.

Amazon’s groundbreaking series Transparent took home the award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

“Amazon, what were they thinking? They sell paper towels and they gave the show – a show to a radical, feminist, queer thinking, shit starting, freak like me,” Transparent creator Jill Soloway joked on stage as she accepted the award.

Soloway ended her speech by pointing out, “People think it’s about politics and it’s about changing laws, and it is, but changing laws and changing politics follow hearts and hearts follow people that they love on TV and in film. It’s an empathy machine, entertainment. It’s an empathy machine. So by doing the work that we’re doing, we’re transforming the world for love and for empathy and for power.”

Musicians Dena Tauriello, Nini Camps, Kristen Ellis-Henderson, and Cathy Henderson of Antigone Rising

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who introduced onstage Kerry Washington and GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis respectively.

The ferocious Samira Wiley pauses for a photo.

Zoe Saldana and Kerry Washington

Musician Kristen Ellis-Henderson and wife GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis.

Actor Andrew Rannells (left) and musician Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! pose with the award for Oustanding Music Artist.

Portia de Rossi, Ellen DeGeneres, Kerry Washington and writer-producer Shonda Rhimes.

Jill Soloway and Transparent take the stage. 

Ellen DeGeneres and Kerry Washington spotted having a great time in the audience.

Tig Notaro

Actress Patricia Arquette (left) and guest.

Actors Jack Falahee, Viola Davis, Aja Naomi King, writer Peter Nowalk and actor Matt McGorry of How to Get Away With Murder, which won for Outstanding Drama.