British LGBT Awards nominees are in, and the BBC is leading the pack

The 2016 nominees for the British LGBT Awards have been announced, and the BBC is being recognised for its positive attitude toward the community.

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The awards, which will take place at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London, on May 13, celebrate those who have positively impacted the LGBT community and shed light on the issues they face.

The BBC has been nominated for Media Moment of the Year with EastEnders‘ casting of Riley Carter Millington as the first-ever female-to-male transgender actor playing a female-to-male transgender person in a U.K. soap. Boy Meets Girl is also in the running for this award: It features Rebecca Root, a transgender actor, playing a transgender character, and discusses transgender issues prominently.

Other BBC nominees include BBC Radio 1 host Nick Grimshaw and Sue Perkins, whose self-penned sitcom, Heading Out, was broadcast by the network. Both were nominated for the LGBT Broadcaster/Presenter category.

Founder of the awards Sarah Garrett explained the importance of the awards, saying, “The British LGBT Awards are vital in highlighting those who have done good by the LGBT community and are also important in promoting LGBT acceptance”.

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“The commissioning of Boy Meets Girl was a particularly landmark moment in British television history, as was the introduction of a transgender character to EastEnders“, she continued. “The BBC should be proud of its commitment to diversity and groundbreaking coverage of LGBT issues”.

Other notable figures in the entertainment industry who have proven their progressive thinking are Music Artist nominees Little Mix, Frank Ocean, Sam Smith, Jess Glynne, Years & Years, Halsey, Adele and Zayn Malik — who has been praised for his comments on sexuality, highlighting the quote, “Just be yourself. If that’s who you are, that’s who you are, and don’t be afraid to be the person that you are”.

Kim Cattrall, Eddie Redmayne, Brian May and Zoe Sugg (aka vlogger Zoella) are among the nominees for Celebrity Straight Ally. And Sports Personality nominees include Nigel Owens, Sam Stanley, Keegan Hirst and Nicola Adams.

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In addition to those who support the LGBT community, there are also those who belong to it and who have shared their personal stories to create awareness and encourage change. Celebs nominated under the LGBT Celebrity award include Ruby Rose, Caitlyn Jenner, Alan Carr, Cara Delevingne and Boy George (who recently replaced Tom Jones on BBC series The Voice).

To vote for your favourite or to read more about the cause, visit the British LGBT Awards page.