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
Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series
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
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
Alexandra Billings, Transparent
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
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
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!