2008 AfterEllen Visibility Awards: Nominations Now Open!

Each year, AfterEllen.com gives out Visibility Awards to honor the best and worst of lesbian and bi visibility in entertainment for the year (revisit previous awards here: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004).

This year, we want your input! Many of the category winners are still going to be editorially chosen, but we're inviting you to nominate and vote on some of them, as well.

This will be a two-part process. From today through Friday, Dec. 5, you can enter one nominee in each category per ballot. You do not have to submit a nominee for every category. You can re-submit the form with a different nominee in the same category, but duplicate entries for the same nominee in the same category by the same IP address will be discarded. So no ballot stuffing!

We’ll compile the nominees and the next week, we'll present you with up to five nominees in each category, from which you’ll be able to vote for your top choice. Winners will be announced in mid-December.

We've listed examples of potential nominees for some of the categories — these examples do not represent an exhaustive list of options, just some names and titles to get you started.

For the first time this year, we're also creating separate categories for shows and people outside the U.S., to acknowledge the achievements in lesbian and bi visibility in other countries. (If a category is not designated as either American or Non-American, it is open to entries from all countries).

When you're done nominating, feel free to come back and tell other readers who you nominated in the comments!

For easier sorting and counting, please enter the full name (correctly spelled) of the movie/show/book/person you are nominating, and don't add any extra commentary in the form fields. Thanks!

NOMINATIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING COUNTED. THE FINALISTS WILL BE PRESENTED TO VOTE ON NEXT WEEK.

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Submit Your 2008 Visibility Award Nominees:

1. Best Scripted Series on Broadcast TV with Regular or Recurring Lesbian/Bi Characters (American) Examples: All My Children, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy, House, M.D.

2. Best Scripted TV Series on Cable/Premium TV with Regular or Recurring Lesbian/Bi Characters (American) Examples: The L Word, South of Nowhere, Dante’s Cove, Nip/Tuck NOTE: Exes & Ohs is not eligible this year, since it will not air its second season until 2009 (the first season won awards last year).

3. Best Reality TV Series with Lesbian/Bi Characters (American) Examples: America’s Next Top Model, Gimme Sugar, Survivor, Top Chef, Work Out

4. Best Scripted Series with Regular or Recurring Lesbian/Bi Characters (Non-American) Examples: Capadocia, Hollyoaks, Hospital Central, Last Friend, Los Hombres de Paco, Mistresses, Neighbours, Terapia d'Urgenza

5. Best Movie with Lesbian/Bi Characters - U.S. Theatrical Release Examples: Caramel, The Edge of Heaven, I Can’t Think Straight, Milk, The Secrets, Vivere, The Women, The World Unseen NOTE: Itty Bitty Titty Committee and Out at the Wedding are not eligible for either movie category this year, since the former was theatrically released in 2007 (it won Best Theatrical Release award last year), and the latter was not released theatrically this year, and won Best Festival Release last year.

6. Best Movie with Lesbian/Bi Characters - U.S. Festival Release Examples: Affinity, Butch Jamie, The Edge of Heaven, Drifting Flowers, Water Lilies, When Kiran Met Karen

7. Best Fictional Web Series with Lesbian/Bi Characters Examples: 3Way, BJ Fletcher, Chica Busca Chica, FEED, Ghostella’s Haunted Tomb, Lovers & Friends

8. Best Fiction Book/Graphic Novel with Lesbian/Bi Characters Published in 2008

9. Best Non-Fiction Book with Lesbian/Bi Themes Published in 2008

10. Lesbian/Bi Musician or Band of the Year

11. Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year (American)

12. Lesbian/Bi Woman of the Year (Non-American)

13. Lesbian/Bi Couple of the Year (American)

14. Lesbian/Bi Couple of the Year (Non-American)

15. Best Straight Ally