Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Anderson Cooper and the cast of "Glee" are among the many high-profile names to receive nominations for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards this year.
GLAAD officials announced the 2012 nominees, all of which provide "outstanding images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community" and "complement GLAAD's work to bring LGBT images and stories to Americans," according to a press release.
In recognition of her chart-topping, all-encompassing "Born This Way" album, Lady Gaga will compete for "Outstanding Music Artist," while "Glee," "Modern Family" and "Happy Endings" will face off for "Best Comedy Series." Transgender icon Chaz Bono is connected to three of the nominated projects -- the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) documentary "Becoming Chaz," an episode of the "Late Show With David Letterman" on which he appeared, and ABC's "Dancing With The Stars," on which he was a contestant. Last year's Vito Russo Award recipient Ricky Martin will vie for "Outstanding Music Artist (Spanish Language)," for his album, "Música + Alma + Sexo."
Rachel Maddow and Anderson Cooper are both named in the "Outstanding TV Journalism: News Magazine" category for individual LGBT-relevant episodes, while HuffPost reporter Max J. Rosenthal was also recognized for his feature piece, "Adam and Pete: Love in a Time of War," which is nominated for "Outstanding Digital Journalism Article."
"This year’s nominees enlighten and entertain, while spotlighting the diversity of our community," Mike Thompson, GLAAD’s Acting President, said in a statement. "Audiences expect to see their own worlds reflected in media, and today more than ever, those include the lives of LGBT people. Viewers know that LGBT characters and stories are simply natural extensions of, and glimpses into, their own experiences from across America."
Check out a video clip of the nominees above.