VOTE NOW in Autostraddle’s Inaugural Gay Emmys!

The Primetime Emmy Awards are headed our way on September 17, with a record number of queer women nominated (and a very solid number of straight women who play queer characters nominated). We’re excited for them! We’re even going to liveblog it! But we’re also aware that the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences — like Hollywood itself, and mainstream TV criticism — continues to be dominated by a voting block of mostly straight white men. So, for the first time ever, we’ve decided to host our own Autostraddle TV Awards to coincide with the Emmys. For our awards, unless otherwise indicated by the name of the category, only shows with LGBTQ+ women characters can earn nominations!!

Here’s how it works: Over the last few weeks our TV Team nominated and voted on shows and actors and characters and creatives in the 20 categories you see below. These official nominees are the top six vote-getters in every category. Now you get to weigh in! Every Autostraddle reader is eligible to vote once in each category, and your votes will be combined with the TV Team’s votes to choose the winner! We’ve also chosen five fan-favorite categories over which you have total control. Your winners are the winners!

To choose our nominees, we abided by official Emmys rules. That means shows must have occurred between June 2017 and May 2018 (otherwise known as Summer 2017, Fall 2017, and Winter/Spring 2018). Two-thirds of the show’s episodes must have aired within that time period. That’s why you don’t see Harlots, Humans, Vida or Pose nominated, for example; they’ll be eligible to dominate next year’s awards. Similarly, we’re talking about last summer’s seasons of G.L.O.W., The Bold Type, and Orange is the New Black; not this summer’s. Sense8′s final season aired prior to last year’s cutoff, and the finale movie, which we’re not sure even counts, would be eligible next year, not this one.

Here is your official ballot!

Voting ends on September 11, 2018 at 5:00 EST and winners will be announced on September 12!

Outstanding Comedy Series

One Day at a Time

Fresh Off The Boat

Jane the Virgin

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

One Mississippi

Broad City

Outstanding Drama Series

Riverdale

Killing Eve

How to Get Away with Murder

Transparent

Everything Sucks!

Halt and Catch Fire

Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series

Black Lightning

Orphan Black

Marvel’s Runaways

Wynonna Earp

Legends of Tomorrow

Jessica Jones

Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder

Aisha Dee, The Bold Type

Sherri Saum, The Fosters

Judith Light, Transparent

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

Nikohl Boosheri, The Bold Type

Sara Ramirez, Madam Secretary

Madelaine Petsch, Riverdale

Kimiko Glenn, Orange is the New Black

Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale

Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series

Isabella Gomez, One Day at a Time

Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Yael Grobglas, Jane the Virgin

Kristen Bell, The Good Place

Ilana Glazer, Broad City

Tig Notaro, One Mississippi

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series

Rosario Dawson, Jane the Virgin

Yara Martinez, Jane the Virgin

Luna Blaise, Fresh Off the Boat

Sheridan Pierce, One Day at a Time

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Isidora Goreshter, Shameless

Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi Series

Nafessa Williams, Black Lightning

Lyrica Okano, Marvel’s Runaways

Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Chyler Leigh, Supergirl

Dominique Provost-Chalkley, Wynonna Earp

Caity Lotz, Legends of Tomorrow

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi Series

Floriana Lima, Supergirl

Jes Macallan, Legends of Tomorrow

Katherine Barrell, Wynonna Earp

Sara Serraiocco, Counterpart

Mayko Nguyen, Killjoys

Carrie Anne-Moss, Jessica Jones

Outstanding Performance by a Straight Actress in a Straight Role

Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat

Kerry Washington, Scandal

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

Justina Machado, One Day at a Time

Rita Moreno, One Day at a Time

Issa Rae, Insecure

Best Episode with LGBTQ+ Themes

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, “Game Night”

Fresh Off the Boat, “A League of Her Own”

Jane the Virgin, “Chapter Seventy-Four”

Madam Secretary, “Refuge”

One Day at a Time, “Locked Down”

High Maintenance, “Scromple”

Best Coming Out Story

Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Nicole Ellis, Fresh Off the Boat

Kate Messner, Everything Sucks

Cheryl Blossom, Riverdale

Ali Pfefferman, Transparent

Kat Edison, The Bold Type

Outstanding Performance by an Out LGBTQ+ Actress in a Comedy

Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Lily Tomlin, Grace & Frankie

Tig Notaro, One Mississippi

Abbi Jacobson, Broad City

Rosie O’Donnell, SMILF

Kiersey Clemons, Easy

Outstanding Performance by an LGBTQ+ Actress in a Drama

Sara Ramirez, Madam Secretary

Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale

Rutina Wesley, Queen Sugar

Alexandra Billings, Transparent

Laverne Cox, Doubt

Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Cult

Outstanding LGBTQ+ Actress in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show

Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld

Tessa Thompson, Westworld

Ariela Barer, Marvel’s Runaways

Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Legends of Tomorrow

Aubrey Plaza, Legion

Gillian Anderson, The X-Files

Outstanding LGBTQ+ Director / Producer / Showrunner

Lena Waithe, The Chi

Rebecca Sugar, Steven Universe

Nahnatchka Khan, Fresh Off the Boat

Joanna Johnson, The Fosters

Katja Blichfeld, High Maintenance

Cameron Esposito & Rhea Butcher, Take My Wife

Most Groundbreaking Representation

One Day at a Time

Steven Universe

Take My Wife

Black Lightning

You Me Her

Transparent

Outstanding Male Character

This category might surprise you! But here’s the deal: generally speaking, we tend to resent the involvement of cis male characters in television programs, which should only ever be about LGBTQ+ women and other trans people, obviously. Every now and then though, a man comes along who we collectively do not hate! In fact, we find ourselves… liking this man! Here we celebrate the few, the brave, the mighty.

Rogelio, Jane the Virgin

Evan Huang, Fresh Off the Boat

Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, S.W.A.T.

Captain Holt, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jefferson Pierce, Black Lightning

Lincoln Rice, Broad City

Outstanding Animated Series

Steven Universe

Adventure Time

Danger and Eggs

Loud House

Outstanding Hairstyling for an LGBTQ+ Character

Sara Ramirez, Madam Secretary

Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher, Take My Wife

Nafessa Williams, Black Lightning

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Sherri Saum, The Fosters

Lyrica Okano, Marvel’s Runaways

Fan Favorite Categories

Fan Favorite Couple

Kat and Adena, The Bold Type // Nico and Karolina, Marvel’s Runaways // Waverly and Nicole, Wynonna Earp // Anissa and Grace, Black Lightning // Stef and Lena, The Fosters // Toni and Cheryl, Riverdale // Sara and Ava, Legends of Tomorrow // Elena and Syd, One Day at a Time // Tig and Kate, One Mississippi // Petra and JR, Jane the Virgin // Kate and Emaline, Everything Sucks // Alex and Maggie, Supergirl // Cosima and Delphine, Orphan Black // Alex and Piper, Orange Is the New Black // Ruby and Sapphire, Steven Universe // Keelin and Freeya, The Originals

Fan Favorite Out LGBTQ Actor

Stephanie Beatriz (Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn 99) // Lily Tomlin (Frankie, Grace & Frankie) // Rosie O’Donnell (Tutu, SMILF) // Tig Notaro (Tig, One Mississippi) // Kiersey Clemons (Chase, Easy) // Lea Delaria (Big Boo, Orange is the New Black) // Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) // Sara Ramirez (Kat Sandoval, Madam Secretary) // Samira Wiley (Moira, The Handmaid’s Tale) // Rutina Wesley (Nova Bordelon, Queen Sugar) // Sarah Paulson (Lana Winters, American Horror Story: Cult) // Holland Taylor (Ida Silver, Mrs. Mercedes) // Cherry Jones (Holly, The Handmaid’s Tale) // Alexandra Billings, (Davina, Transparent) // Laverne Cox (Cameron, Doubt) // Ali Liebert (Nickole, Ten Days in the Valley) // Evan Rachel Wood (Dolores, Westworld) // Tessa Thompson (Charlotte, Westworld) // Ariela Barer (Gert, Marvel’s Runaways) // Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Amaya, Legends of Tomorrow) // Emily Tarver (CO McCullough, Orange is the New Black) // Emily Rios (Lucia, Snowfall) // Fiona Shaw (Carolyn, Killing Eve) // Gillian Anderson (Scully, The X-Files) // Alia Shawkat (Dory, Search Party) // Wanda Sykes (Daphne, Black-ish) // Natalie Morales (Anne, Santa Clarita Diet) // Abbi Jacobson (Abbi, Broad City) // Emily Tarver (CO McCullough, Orange is the New Black), Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia) // Kate Moennig (Lena, Ray Donovan) // Rhea Butcher (Rhea, Take My Wife) // Cameron Esposito (Cameron, Take My Wife) // Zoie Palmer (The Android, Dark Matter) // Anna Paquin (Annie, Bellevue)

Most Devastating Cancellation

Everything Sucks! // One Mississippi // Take My Wife // The Imposters // The Arrangement  // Life Sentence // Famous in Love // Rosewood // Dark Matter // Gypsy // Survivor’s Remorse // Halt and Catch Fire

Fan Favorite New Show

Marvel’s Runaways // 9-1-1 // Black Lightning // Counterpart // Collateral // The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel // G.L.O.W. // Mindhunter // The Bold Type // Killing Eve // Grown-ish

Fan Favorite Character

Annalise Keating, How to Get Away with Murder // Eve, Killing Eve // Villanelle, Killing Eve // Kat, The Bold Type // Adena, The Bold Type // Stef, The Fosters // Lena, The Fosters // Toni, Riverdale // Cheryl, Riverdale // Elena, One Day at a Time // Rosa, Brooklyn Nine-Nine // Petra, Jane the Virgin // JR, Jane the Virgin // Eleanor, The Good Place // Tig, One Mississippi // Nicole, Fresh Off the Boat // Anissa, Black Lightning  // Cosima, Orphan Black // Niko, Marvel’s Runaways // Waverly, Wynonna Earp // Nicole, Wynonna Earp // Alex, Supergirl // Sara, Legends of Tomorrow // Kate, Everything Sucks // Emaline, Everything Sucks // M-Chuck, Survivor’s Remorse // Baldwin, The Counterpart // Izzie, You Me Her // Emma, You Me Her // Simone, Star // Soso, Orange is the New Black // Suzanne, Orange is the New Black // Big Boo, Orange is the New Black // Nova, Queen Sugar // Chris, S.W.A.T. // Ilana, Broad City // Wendy, Mindhunter // Nola, She’s Gotta Have It // Hen, 9-1-1 // Freya, The Originals // Keelin, The Originals // Sophia, Orange is the New Black

Here is your official ballot!

Voting ends on September 11, 2018 at 5:00 EST and winners will be announced on September 12!

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

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Related:

The TV Team

The Autostraddle TV Team is made up of Riese Bernard, Carmen Phillips, Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya, Valerie Anne, Natalie, Drew Burnett Gregory, and Nic. Follow them on Twitter!

The TV has written 238 articles for us.

87 Comments

  1. This is so cool I love it, thanks TV Team!

    But such impossible choices – how am I supposed to choose between Black Lightning, Orphan Black and Wynonna Earp?!

  2. You pitted Samira Wiley and Sara Ramirez against each other multiple harrowing times, and yet I persevered. Thank you, that was fun.

  3. I‘m just having a moment of gratitude for these nominations, and also, that Gillian Anderson is in the category that she’s in.

    Also wondering if anyone will vote „Gypsy“ for most devastating cancellation.

    Jessica Jones is nominated for its first season, right?

  4. This survey was so rude – these choices were brutal. (but also, I love that we had so many options!)

    • This is how I (just discovered I) feel about Lily Tomlin. Turns out I’ll follow her into battle and that is good information!

  7. Two things:

    1. I almost cried reading this.
    2. Wow, I need to watch more drama. Or at least Killing Eve.

  11. Wow, Sherri Saum looks hella different in the “Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series” category.

  12. – Outstanding Comedy Series: “Jane the Virgin”
    – Outstanding Drama Series: “Killing Eve”
    – Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series: ehhhhhh…ehhhhh…”MARVEL’S RUNAWAYS”! (If Trishica was a real thing, then “Jessica Jones” would have gotten it.)
    – Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series: Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” (Where is Lyrica Okano?)
    – Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series: Madelaine Petsch, “Riverdale” (You can’t go wrong with how extra Cheryl is.)
    – Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series: Yael Grobglas, “Jane the Virgin” (I’m eyeing you, Kristen Bell, but until we get to see attempt #218, I’m not giving you my heart.)
    – Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series: Sheridan Pierce, “One Day at a Time” (I can’t forgive you Rosario for not being Gina.)
    – Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi Series: Lyrica Okano, “Marvel’s Runaways” (There you are, Lyrica!)
    – Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi Series: Emily Berrington, “Humans” (There’s my little rainbow.)
    – Outstanding Performance by a Straight Actress in a Straight Role: Gina Rodriguez, “Jane the Virgin” (Isn’t Gina bi?)
    – Best Episode with LGBTQ+ Themes: Jane the Virgin, “Chapter Seventy-Four”
    – Best Coming Out Story: Cheryl Blossom, “Riverdale” (I literally have not seen any of the others.)
    – Outstanding Performance by an LGBTQ+ Actress in a Comedy: Stephanie Beatriz, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
    – Outstanding Performance by a LGBTQ+ Actress in a Drama: Ummmmm…? Sara Ramirez, “Madam Secretary”
    – Outstanding LGBTQ+ Actress in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Aubrey Plaza, “Legion” (From no opinion to LOTS of opinions.)
    – Oustanding LGBTQ+ Director / Producer: Rebecca Sugar, “Steven Universe” (No contest.)
    – Most Groundbreaking Representation: “Steven Universe”
    – Outstanding Male Character (aka a male character written and acted in such a way that we have managed not to hate him at all!): Rogelio, “Jane the Virgin” (I love how he was [rightfully] threatened by what he thought was Petra moving in on Jane. SHE COULD HAVE HAD HER!)
    – Outstanding Animated Series: “Steven Universe”
    – Outstanding Hairstyling for an LGBTQ+ Character: Lyrica Okano, “Marvel’s Runaways”
    – Fan Favorite Couple: Nico and Karolina, “Marvel’s Runaways” (She got the girl!)
    – Fan Favorite Out LGBTQ+ Actress:Zoie Palmer (The Android, “Dark Matter”) (So many choices.)
    – Most Devastating Cancellation: “Dark Matter” (But truthfully, it was “Agent Carter”.)
    – Fan Favorite New Show: “G.L.O.W.”
    – Fan Favorite LGBTQ+ Character: Cheryl, “Riverdale” (Next year: Lena Luthor.)

    • Gina Rodriguez’s official “on the record” sexuality is “probably more bisexual than Jane”… which quite the same thing as saying on the record that she’s bi.

      (That said, very personally speaking – and not as an official stance of the TV Team at all – I protest voted not Gina in the “Best Straight Actress in a Straight Rule” category, because I couldn’t bring myself to call her a straight actress. So there you have it! You’re not alone!

      • Reading that list I was like, hmm pretty sure Gina Rodriguez has said she’s bi. So thank you for that information!

  14. first of all, this is excellent.
    second of all, i am THRILLED to have so many options to choose from that many of these are genuinely difficult decisions. high school me is in disbelief at how much more representation there is now compared with a relatively short amount of time ago. it’s wonderful and it makes me very happy.

    • I thought the same thing! 10 years ago me holed up watching South of nowhere on iTunes wouldn’t believe it.

      And also underscored how far France, my current home, has to go in terms of out actresses. Sigh

  15. VOTED

    So many good things I could say, but the very least of them is: thank you for listing Eleanor Shellstrop as an LGBTQ+ character CAUSE SHE TOTES IS

  19. Jefferson Pierce is my favorite man here, but I am growing quite fond of Jeremy on Wynonna Earp. His bromance with Waverly is adorable.

    So many shows to catch up on. So many. 20gayteen, y’all.

  20. Where’s the love for Merritt Wever as Mary Agnes on Godless? I love that little curmudgeonly butch gal.

  21. I went through all categories quite easily but then you made me choose between Sarah Paulson and Kate McKinnon and I started to cry

  22. I get that the comment about resenting male representation is meant to be tongue in cheek, but it’s really unwarranted as minority males (both straight and lgbtq) are far more underrepresented than their White female counterparts, for instance. Latino men are not only proportionally the most underrepresented group alongside Latina women (they’re cast in only 6% of speaking roles across tv and film despite representing 17% of the population), they’re arguably the most demonized of all as half of characters who speak with Latino accents are cast as criminals. Now can you imagine if half of Gay women in tv and film were cast as twisted deviants?

    • Hey Rippy,

      You are correct that the title and summary of the category “Outstanding Male Character We Didn’t Hate” is tongue in cheek (and I think quite funny) because well… this is Autostraddle, a queer women’s and feminist website with a sharp sense of humor. That said, one of the things I’m most proud of about this year’s inaugural awards is that every character nominated in that category is a man (or boy – Hi Evan Huang!) of color!

      Absolutely yes, there are tragically few roles for people of color on television, and that definitely includes men of color characters – especially men of color on tv who aren’t portrayed as negative stereotypes. At the same time, there are painfully few male roles (include men of color) that are well-written without trafficking in ongoing tropes of toxic masculinity and patriarchy.

      I think this category does a good job of highlighting both of those realities, and it still manages to do it with a punchline :)

      • @Carmen Phillips I did notice the nominees were men of color, which makes the flippant attitude all the more disappointing, especially given the current climate in which many men of color find themselves not only heavily demonized in Hollywood but also in the political realm and society at large. So you’d think there would be at least some attempt at sincerity about the importance of representation for minority and lgbtq males, alongside the tongue in cheek joking.

      • @Carmen / queer girl
        Non-intersectional activism that disregards fellow marginalized people needs to be done away with. Obviously, I’m under no illusion that mainstream feminist circles will take a lead role in advocating on behalf of men of color when they have a track record of even treating women of color as an afterthought. But it would be helpful if they didn’t constantly undermine men of color by disregarding their struggles just because of their gender.

        An example of this oblivious attidue within Hollywood feminist circles was displayed at the last Academy Awards show in which Emma Stone, while serving as presenter, threw shade on the male nominees while highlighting the performance of Greta Gerwig, despite one of those male nominees being an African American and another being a Mexican immigrant, two highly demonized/marginalized groups. Her act was celebrated by many in the room and also among mainstream feminist circles in the media, even though it essentially amounted to an attempt to kick the ladder out from persons of color in the name of White feminism.

        Now, I’m not equating this article to that situation, but it is an attitude that permeates throughout mainstream feminists circles, and it really needs to stop.

        • Hi, Rippy. I’m a senior editor here at Autostraddle and also the person who co-wrote this post (with our editor-in-chief, Riese Bernard). This is a website for queer women, and trans and non-binary people. That’s our audience and we created these awards with that audience in mind, to celebrate women and non-binary people on the shows we feel best represent us. We are not a website for cis men, so I’m not going to defend our choice to include a category that — as Carmen said — honors cis male characters (all of whom are men of color) in a way that pokes fun at the fact that most men on television are intolerable.

          I do want to point out two things, though, because you seem to have come here just for this post.

          1) We have a deep history of intersectional feminism that includes fighting for and advocating for the rights of all people of color, including, of course, men. We also very occasionally cover pop culture news/TV shows/movies that center on men because they also center people of color. Carmen, who you’re chiding here, for example, wrote a stunning review of Black Panther, in which she celebrated the women’s performances but wrote quite a lot about what the film means for the Black community at large. We covered Moonlight at length, and when it won Best Picture, our (Black) writer who covered it wrote, “Besides the fact that Moonlight is 200% the movie La La Land could ever be, on a petty note, seeing something undeserved snatched out of white hands felt SO. GOOD. It was the vindication I will never get in my real life. It was #blackexcellence at its finest.” You will find this tone and this sentiment repeated throughout our website by so many of the women/people of color who work here.

          2) Carmen, the person you are berating right now, is a Black Puerto Rican woman with an established history of doing some of the most celebrated intersectional work on our entire website. To compare her to Emma Stone, to intimate that she is propping up white feminism, is not only out of order, it is dead wrong. She doesn’t just pop up in comments sections from time-to-time to argue; she is here every single day working her ass off to dismantle the systems of the white supremacist, cis, heterosexist patriarchy that continue to oppress, persecute, and enslave people of color and queer people around the world. You would need to set aside a week to dig into and read through the archives of our website to watch her doing this. It is her life.

          We want to destroy white supremacy, we want to destroy the patriarchy, and including this category in these awards in no way prevents or stalls us from doing that.

          • I actually explicitly stated I was not comparing this article to Stone’s actions (nor was I comparing her to anyone on this site). In my initial comment, I was critical of the flippant attitude directed at demanized groups and I appealed for consideration to their struggles, which was met with anti-intersectional attitudes. In response to this, I stressed the importance of true inclusion because it is such an uncommon practice in Hollywood, even among those who are praised for their [misguided] activism.

            It’s great to know that Carmen and others on this site do hold a more balanced perspective on these issues, but i think it’s also important be cognizant of the fact that many of this site’s readers undoubtedly lack this outlook due to their limited world views. And unfortunately when one turns around and expresses a flippant during these conversations, it can, to some degree, undermine the the positive work being done on that front. It’s great that writer(s) thought to include a category with lgbtq/men of color, but it’s not so great to frame it in a dismissive tone.

            Incidentally, if a male oriented lgbtq site with considerable reach directed flippant remarks towards women (particularly when the very issue of inclusion was being discussed), I’d find it problematic as well, because even these subtle digs can reinforce views that contribute to their marginalization– again, particularly when a certain amount of their readers may be approaching this issue from a limited perspective to begin with.

            I appreciate the replies, not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but these are important discussions that need to be had.

          • “…MANY of this site’s readers UNDOUBTEDLY lack this outlook due to their limited world views.”

            vs

            “…CERTAIN AMOUNT of their readers MAY BE approaching this issue from a limited perspective to begin with.”

        • To add to Heather – I feel like I’ve already made my point about this Rippy, which is that as a queer women’s website we went out of our way to celebrate men of color and I think we did a good job of doing it. We created that specific category when absolutely no one one have expected us to. We are literally saying that these are six positive representations of men, who are well-written, fully rounded, and compassionate, and actually support the women in their lives. The inclusion of this category is our way of having good allyship with men of color (and fighting against their woeful representation on television) while also giving positive reinforcement to those in the industry that yes, we would like more men of color on television. We would like them in more roles like this.

          (And as a queer woman of color, that is something I care a lot about and am proud of. Check my work, you can find a link to it in the TV Team bio up above. I’ve written more words about Jefferson Pierce – on this very website – than I have any other television character in the last year. I’ve also written about queer black and Latinx men’s representation incorporated into many of my pieces that are about queer women. Uplifting people of color, including obviously men of color, is at my core and not just on this website.)

          So instead of continuing down this road with you, I am going to say this: My biggest offense is that you called me an Emma Stone.

          EMMA. STONE.

          Like, woah. That’s a low blow.

          If we are picking white girls, at best I’m an Anne Hathaway. And I aspire to be a Christine Baranski.

    • we’re a website for lgbtq women & non-binary / trans people, which is the population we were attempting to honor in this awards ceremony. nobody expected us to make a category for men. or for straight women.

      but as we were talking about categories, we began thinking about the fact that there are some male characters out there that we like! and straight women too! and then we created these two categories to honor those two populations we usually disregard. and who are the men and women in those categories? men and women of color.

      we created those categories — which again, were unnecessary in awards described specifically as awards for lgbtq+ women and trans folks —and in doing so, propped up the cause you specifically accuse us of disregarding.

  23. Took me a minute to remember there was actual lady queerness on Halt and Catch Fire beside my long-held belief that Cameron and/or Donna should have been gay.

    Also love that alternative lifestyle haircuts are finally getting their own award category.

  24. Me: What fun, I get to vote for my favourites along with my Autostraddle friends.

    Me: But what if I am betrayed, and they all voted AGAINST my favourites?

    Me: That’s fine, we don’t have to all like the same things.

    Me: But Rebecca Sugar.

  26. I didn’t vote in every category because I don’t watch all the shows listed.

    I had the most difficulty with Fan Favourite Character because how the HELL am I supposed to choose between Waverly and Nicole!? In the end I chose Waverly… Because everyone loves Waverly. ?

    Outstanding Drama Series- Everything Sucks!
    Outstanding Sci-fi/Fantasy Series – Wynonna Earp
    Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character In A Sci-Fi Series – Dominique Provost-Chalkley
    Outstanding Supporting/Guest Actress Playing An LGBTQ+ Character In A Sci-Fi Series – Katherine Barrell
    Best Coming Out Story – Kate Messner
    Fan Favourite Couple – Waverly and Nicole
    Most Devastating Cancellation – Everything Sucks!
    Fan Favourite New Show – Marvel’s Runaways
    Fan Favourite Character- Waverly

  27. I forgot to add my choice for Outstanding Male Character so I’ll just put him in the comments.

    Darryl Whitefeather from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! Not only is he bisexual (and totally comfortable in his skin), he’s also just the nicest most sweetest man around.

  29. This was hard!….like I want to be mad about it…but actually its a good thing that I had so much choice but Dangit! I had to pick between Gina Rodriguez and Rita Moreno – that was cruel! Also I wanted to pick all the cartoons.

  30. How can I possibly choose between my children???

    But also this was great and I’m truly shocked & happy by how hard it is to choose in any of these categories. “Man we didn’t hate” made me laugh out loud (and then was ALSO super hard to choose for? what the heck).

  31. Outstanding Comedy Series One Day at a Time

    Outstanding Drama Series Riverdale

    Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series Jessica Jones

    Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an Aisha Dee, The Bold Type
    LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series

    Outstanding Supporting or Guest Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
    Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character
    in a Drama Series

    Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an Isabella Gomez, One Day at a Time
    LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series

    Outstanding Supporting or Guest Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
    Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character
    in a Comedy Series

    Outstanding Lead Actress Playing an Caity Lotz, Legends of Tomorrow
    LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi Series

    Outstanding Supporting or Guest Carrie Ann-Moss, Jessica Jones
    Actress Playing an LGBTQ+ Character
    in a Sci-Fi Series

    Outstanding Performance by a Rita Moreno, One Day at a Time
    Straight Actress in a Straight Role

    Best Episode with LGBTQ+ Themes One Day at a Time, “Locked Down”

    Best Coming Out Story Cheryl Blossom, Riverdale

    Outstanding Performance by an Out Lily Tomlin, Grace & Frankie
    LGBTQ+ Actress in a Comedy

    Outstanding Performance by an Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Cult
    LGBTQ+ Actress in a Drama

    Outstanding LGBTQ+ Actress in a Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld
    Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show

    Outstanding LGBTQ+ Director/Producer Joanna Johnson, The Fosters
    /Showrunner

    Most Groundbreaking Representation One Day at a Time

    Outstanding Male Character We Didn’t Hate Rogelio, Jane the Virgin

    Outstanding Animated Series Steven Universe

    Outstanding Hairstyling for an Sherri Saum, The Fosters
    LGBTQ+ Character

    Fan Favorite Couple Kat and Adena, The Bold Type

    Fan Favorite Out LGBTQ Actor Laverne Cox (Cameron, Doubt)

    Most Devastating Cancellation Everything Sucks!

    Fan Favorite New Show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

    Fan Favorite Character Elena, One Day at a Time

    • YES! One of my favorite things is that in every category (except animated) we had enough nominees for a FULLY EMMYS ROSTER! I never expected that to happen.

  34. Alex Danvers/Chyler Leigh anyone?

    The excessive reading of Sanvers fanfic within the past year has made me slightly partial in this poll, but in the AU I live in they never broke up, it’s fantastic

  35. I’m happy that not only was there enough content to even have these awards, but that so much of it was so good that I had to make some hard decisions in multiple categories! We are truly blessed nowadays — maybe if I’d had stuff like this when I was growing up, it wouldn’t have taken me so long to realize I liked girls!

    I am surprised to see so little of Karolina Dean from Marvel’s Runaways in the nominees, though! Nico was mentioned several times, but Karolina was only mentioned as half of the pairing, and I felt like she was more of a lead/focus character than Nico was; she’s the one who got the coming out story and all.

  37. Cameron Esposito’s side mullet surely deserves an Emmy, especially since it is no longer with us. RIP

  38. THIS IS TOO HARD YOU CAN’T MAKE ME CHOOSE.

    Seriously though, this is amazing. I almost cried reading through the list for Fan Favorite LGBTQ Actor. There are so many!! I remember waiting impatiently every Friday for the “Best Lesbian Week Ever” article to go up on After Ellen and eagerly reading every tiny piece of vaguely LGBT-related news they’d scraped together for that week. That was about 15 years ago, and we’ve come so so far since then. WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE FOR OUR OWN DAMN EMMYS. It feels like an embarrassment of riches.

  39. That was fun! I have a lot of love for One Day at a Time.

    My fan favorite character though: Other, namely Ali Pfefferman. Groundbreaking for me.. and also, hot.

    (HOW was Gaby Hoffmann not nominated?)

    Still, lots of talent here!

  40. i just had a dopey grin all over my face while i filled this out. thanks for putting this together, y’all!

  41. What a great way to highlight all the great queer stuff on TV this year. I love the categories and can’t wait to see who readers pick.

  42. This was actually easier than I thought it would be – the inclusion of Orphan Black from 2017 sort of made it easier because it basically won every category it was nominated in, for me at least.

    But then I got to the hair question, and holy crap, how am I supposed to choose between Sara Ramirez and Sandra Oh?!

    I am so much more excited for the Autostraddle Emmys than for the real ones – thank you for putting so much time and effort into this!

  44. That was so hard. Way too many great choices. I had to choose from at least 3 of my favorites in each category. What a great problem to have though. 20GayTeen has been great to us.

  46. That was dreadfully difficult. Also, really sad that Nomi and Amanita from Sense8 were nowhere to be found. Beautiful relationship with a happy ending. Come on! :D

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