The Dorian Awards are general and LGBTQ-themed accolades for excellence in film, television and Broadway / Off-Broadway, as voted by the members of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. GALECA is an association of professional journalists and critics who regularly report on movies, TV and/or New York City stage productions for print, online, and broadcast outlets mainly in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The group was founded in 2009 as the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association. As of December 2025, the organization listed approximately 570 members, including those on its advisory board."Members". GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics: Home of The Dorian Awards. Retrieved December 24, 2025
The Dorian Award is named in honor of Oscar Wilde, in reference to the main character from his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the honor's logo includes an illustration of Wilde.
Various versions of the physical award over the years include a framed certificate, a giant cue-card, and a small canvas print showing an illustrated portrait of the winner or a memorable scene from the awarded project.Windy City Times, April 19, 2021 "GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics hands out Dorian Awards" During GALECA's Dorians Film Toast 2021 (airing April 18, 2021 on the streaming platform Revry), actress Carey Mulligan, in accepting the group's Best Actress award for her work in Promising Young Woman, said her Dorian "might be the coolest prize I've ever seen."Variety, April 18, 2021, by Jazz Tangcay, "Nomadland and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Named Top Films at Dorian Awards"
Format The Dorian Awards honor film, television and Broadway / Off-Broadway productions at separate times of the year. Dorian film nominees and winners for the previous calendar year are announced in January and February, while TV nominees and winners for the previous television season are typically announced in June and August. The Dorian Theater Awards were added in 2023, with a separate wing of the society consisting of 31 members announcing its inaugural winners June 1 of that year.BroadwayWorld, May 3, 2023, by Stephi Wild "Galeca: The Society Of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Announces Inaugural Dorian Theater Awards"
In addition to more traditional categories such as Film of the Year and Best TV Comedy, the Dorians include more novel categories, including Unsung TV Show, Visually Striking Film, Wilde Wit, and Campy Flick, an honor that has generated amusement from The New York Times.The New York Times, January 19, 2011, by Melena Ryzik, "And The Campy Award Goes To . . ."
Rather than present an official awards ceremony, GALECA typically hosts its annual "Dorian Awards Winners Toast", an informal day party in Los Angeles for members, winners, nominees, and associates.The Seattle Lesbian, March 4, 2015, "Transparent, The Comeback, The Case Against 8 Stars Join Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics 'Winners Toast'" Frontiers, March 12, 2014, By Stephan Horbelt, "Avant-garde Celebs Gather at GALECA's Winners Toast" For the 2020 Toast, Antonio Banderas, the group's choice for 2019 Film Performance of the Year—Actor, and actress-director Olivia Wilde, director of GALECA's Unsung Film of the Year winner Booksmart, were among the honored guests.Greg in Hollywood, February 3, 2020, "Snapped – Scenes from Dorian Awards Presented by GALECA The Society of LGBTQ Critics"
In September 2020, GALECA presented its first televised awards, Dorians TV Toast 2020, a pre-recorded two-hour special on Revry with appearances by performers and producers including Hugh Jackman, Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Margaret Cho, Josh Thomas, Regina King, Dan Levy, Laverne Cox, John Oliver, Chad Michaels, Thomas Roberts, Fiona Shaw, Annie Murphy, Alex Newell, and Damon Lindelof. The program, shown on LGBTQ+ streaming platform Revry, was hosted by broadcasting veteran and LGBTQ rights activist Charles Karel Bouley, and included segments where he and other GALECA members discussed the merits of the contenders in various categories.The Hollywood Reporter, September 13, 2020, by Trilby Beresford, "Schitt's Creek Wins Best Comedy, LGBTQ Show and More at Dorians TV Toast"
Bouley, known simply as Karel, also hosted the group's Dorians Film Toast 2021, this time a three-hour special featuring Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya, Chloé Zhao, Lee Daniels George C. Wolfe, Radha Blank, Lee Isaac Chung, Cynthia Nixon, Gabourey Sidibe, Rachel McAdams, Isabel Sandoval, Colman Domingo, Rafael L. Silva, Harry Hamlin, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Deven Green, Leslie Jordan, Emerald Fennell, California governor Gavin Newsom, Charo, Cox, Michaels, and other stars. "Wilde Artist" recipient Dolly Parton did not appear in the show to accept that special award ("to a truly ground-breaking force in film, theater, and/or television"), but said in a statement: "I'm not sure I'm as edgy as past winners (in the Wilde Artist category) like Todd Haynes, Kate McKinnon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Jordan Peele — but I am honored and humbled. I appreciate all of you entertainment journalists who are so passionate and are working so hard. Keep up the good work!"Variety, April 18, 2021, by Jazz Tangcay, "Nomadland and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Named Top Films at Dorian Awards"
A third awards special, Dorians TV Toast 2021, streamed on Here TV and its YouTube channel Planet Out, and later on-demand on Tubi. Patricia Arquette, Bowen Yang, Jean Smart, Ziwe, Jennifer Beals, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Stephen Fry, Nick Kroll, Olivia Newton-John, Tituss Burgess, Fran Drescher, Michael Cimino, Josie Totah, Big Freedia, Russell T Davies, Gottmik, Callum Scott Howells, Steven Canals, Hannah Einbinder, Jim J. Bullock, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Paapa Essiedu, Paul W. Downs, Jesse James Keitel, and Eurovision Song Contest host Edsilia Rombley were among the participants. In a unique moment, actor-comedian John Lehr impersonated gay cable news polling expert Steve Kornacki in presenting three categories.Awards Watch, August 24, 2021, by Erik Anderson, "Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez to receive LGBTQ+ Critics 'Trailblazer' honor"
Membership Honorary GALECA members and advisors include or have included former film critics David Ansen and Kevin Thomas, lesbian journalist Judy Wieder (former editor-in-chief of The Advocate), broadcasting veteran Jane Velez-Mitchell, columnist Michael Musto, former Jezebel editor-in-chief and Teen Vogue online executive editor Koa Beck,Harvard Kennedy School website, "Events" Spring 2019 (undated), "The White Woman Voter." Retrieved October 5, 2019 Princeton University Dean of the College and feminist writer Jill Dolan, noted film critic and talk show host Bobby Rivers, and professor of literature Joseph Bristow, one of the world's leading authorities on Oscar Wilde.UCLA Department of English: People University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved February 22, 2013"Members". GALECA : The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics : Home of The Dorian Awards. Retrieved November 29, 2017
GALECA members who've authored new books on entertainment are occasionally interviewed by other members on the group's YouTube channel. Some of the authors who've participated are Tre'vell Anderson (We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film), Kristen Lopez (But Have You Read the Book? 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films), Michael Schulman (Oscar Wars), Matt Baume (Hi Honey, I'm Homo) and Kyle Turner (The Queer Film Guide: 100 great movies that tell LGBTQIA+ stories).
The channel also features members' interviews with Hollywood and New York stage creatives doing work the organization deems somehow special. Among the subjects: Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Dominic Burgess and the creators of the Apple TV+ comedy Palm Royale; the stars and creators of Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives; and Longtime Companion cast members Bruce Davison, Dermot Mulroney and Stephen Caffrey alongside screenwriter Craig Lucas.
In addition, members' individual talks with such group "heroes" as Ziwe Fumudoh, Trace Lysette and Wilson Cruz are also presented.GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics YouTube channel Retrieved June 25, 2024
"Ten Best" lists To commemorate the 2015 film and TV awards season, GALECA revealed its first "Ten Best" list, The Ten Best Movies About the Academy Awards. Included were such films as The Oscar, California Suite, For Your Consideration, and The Bodyguard.Out, February 21, "The Top 10 Movies ABOUT the Academy Awards" More recently, the group's lists include the Ten Best LGBTQ Movies Every Straight Person Should See, Ten Best Actresses of All Time, and Ten Best Films You Didn't Know Were LGBTQ.IndieWire, November 25, 2015, "The 10 Best LGBT Films Every Straight Person Should See!"Yahoo! November 22, 2016, "Gay Critics Pick Top 10 Actresses of All Time"AwardsWatch, October 6, 2017, by Erik Anderson, "GALECA Names Ten Best Films You Never Knew Were LGBTQ", (archived from the original)
In 2024, GALECA announced the group's choices for America's 10 Best TV News Journalists, praising the work of such on-air figures as CNN anchors Christiane Amanpour and Kaitlan Collins, NBC News reporter Jacob Soboroff, ABC News' David Muir and Robin Roberts, and Mehdi Hasan.Adweek, October 25, 2024, by Mark Mwachiro "Ticker: The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times Will Not Endorse a Presidential Candidate"Los Angeles Blade November 7, 2024,
Dorians Toast theme songs Four original songs have been written for GALECA's Dorian Awards Toast streaming specials: "Look Into the Light", a pop ballad about the power of movies, and "A Toast!," both sung by Morgan Mallory and written and composed by Mallory and Charles Karel Bouley; an expanded, faster-paced variation on the latter performed by Dave Rooney of The Black Donnellys with additional lyrics by Bouley and Rooney; and "Flickering Life", a pop rock tune about the power of TV also composed and sung by Mallory with lyrics by him and Bouley.BroadwayWorld, September 8, 2020, "Hugh Jackman, Regina King, Janelle Monáe to Appear in First LGBTQ Entertainment Critics TV Awards Special"Los Angeles Blade, April 18, 2021 "Dorian Awards: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics names ‘NOMADLAND’ Best Film"
History GALECA and its annual Dorian Awards were created in 2008 in Hollywood, California, by John Griffiths, former long-time television critic for Us Weekly magazine and contributor to Emmy Magazine of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Griffiths was the nonprofit's Executive Director until 2025, when Diane Anderson-Minshall took over the role.The Advocate, December 21, 2009, "Gay Critics Association Announces First Awards" Los AngelesCision, April 28, 2017, "Us Weekly Updates Masthead"Yahoo News U.K.; August 7, 2025; by Leia Mendoza "GALECA Announces Diane Anderson-Minshall as First Female Executive Director and New Board of Directors" Current and past elected board members include former Pride Media CEO Anderson-Minshall, Pulitzer Prize winner Walt Hickey, Variety editor Jazz Tangcay, and The New York Times columnist Trish Bendix.The Hollywood Reporter, June 21, 2022, by Abbey White, "Out Magazine, The Advocate Sold to New Owners in Pride Media Acquisition"William and Mary News, May 10, 2022, "W&M alumnus wins Pulitzer Prize for illustrated reporting and commentary"Variety, April 18, 2021, by Jazz Tangcay, "‘Nomadland’ and ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ Named Top Films at Dorian Awards (EXCLUSIVE)"Trish Bendix personal website, Bio