GLSEN TO HONOR ABC'S "MODERN FAMILY" AT RESPECT AWARDS - LOS ANGELES, PRESENTED BY ROLAND EMMERICH'S CENTROPOLIS ENTERTAINMENT

GLSEN Will Be the First National LGBT Organization to Honor the Hit Show.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, will honor the hit ABC show "Modern Family" at the Respect Awards - Los Angeles, Presented by Centropolis Entertainment, on October 8 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Also being honored are Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and the GLSEN Educator of the Year, presented by Sodexo.

"Modern Family," which recently received 14 Emmy nominations, portrays positive images and storylines that reflect a diverse America, including the depiction of a family headed by a gay couple. The season premiere is Wednesday, September 22 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network.

"GLSEN is honored to be the first national LGBT to recognize ABC's 'Modern Family' at the Respect Awards - Los Angeles, presented by Centropolis Entertainment," GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. "As a lesbian mother of two, I am grateful to see a show like 'Modern Family,' which offers an honest and often hilarious look at family experiences often overlooked or ignored in Primetime. From its positive portrayal of gay parents to its handling of school bullying, 'Modern Family' provides an invaluable window into what family life is like for millions of American youth."

"Modern Family" stars Ed O'Neill as Jay, Julie Bowen as Claire, Ty Burrell as Phil, Sof�a Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Nolan Gould as Luke, Ariel Winter as Alex and Rico Rodriguez as Manny.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Levitan Lloyd Productions. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd are executive producers/creators.

The Respect Awards, held annually in Los Angeles and New York, recognize individual and corporate leaders who have helped propel GLSEN's efforts to ensure safe schools for all of America's students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Kevin Brockman, Executive Vice President of Global Communications for Disney/ABC Television Group, and Michael Lombardo, President of Programming at HBO, are Respect Awards - Los Angeles co-chairs.

GLSEN is currently accepting nominations for Educator of the Year. Learn more here. Respect Awards - Los Angeles tickets can be purchased here.

Past Respect Awards - Los Angeles honorees include: HBO, Shonda Rhimes, David C. Bohnett, 2009 Student Advocate of the Year Austin Laufersweiler, Disney/ABC Television Group, Lance Bass, Darren Star, Dr. Neal Baer, Greg Berlanti, Hon. James C. Hormel, Hon. Sheila Kuehl, Cisco Systems, James Howe, Virginia Uribe, Moises Kaufman, IBM, Frankie Martinez and Jeff Quinn.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.