Post submitted by Hayley Miller, former HRC Associate Director of Digital and Social

Last night, LGBTQ actor and writer Lena Waithe made history, becoming the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing for her work on a powerful Master of None episode on coming out in which she also starred. She shared the honor with show creator and star, Aziz Ansari.

In a joyful, passionate acceptance speech, Waithe thanked her girlfriend, her chosen family, and, “last, but certainly not least, my L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. family. I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are our super powers. Every day, when you walk out the door and put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world — because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren’t in it. And for everybody out there that showed so much love for this episode, thank you for embracing a little Indian boy from South Carolina and a little queer black girl from the South Side of Chicago. We appreciate it more than you could ever know.” Read about the Emmy Award-winning episode at the LATimes.

Kate McKinnon, who is openly lesbian, won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her unparalleled work on SaturdayNight Live.

The Netflix series Black Mirror was another important winner at the Emmys for LGBTQ inclusion in media. The groundbreaking episode San Junipero chronicles the virtual love story of an older black woman and older white woman, and even has a happy ending. 

According to CNN, Riz Ahmed, who won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for The Night Of, was the first Muslim and South-Asian man to win an acting Emmy.

Donald Glover of Atlanta took home two awards. One for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and the other for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Glover is the first African American to take home an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.