BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Actress Kerry Washington, director Roland Emmerich, the film “The Imitation Game” and television shows “Transparent” and “How to Get Away With Murder” have received stamps of approval from GLAAD.

GLAAD, which promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender presence in the media, celebrated its honorees at a ceremony Saturday night.

Kerry Washington was among those honored by GLAAD on Saturday. The Associated Press

GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis said “Scandal” star Washington was chosen by the group because, “She’s done quite a bit for the LGBT community and she’s a phenomenal spokeswoman for us.”

In her acceptance speech Washington said, “In 1997, when Ellen (DeGeneres) made her famous declaration, it took place in an America where the Defense of Marriage Act had just passed months earlier, and civil unions were not legal in any state. But also remember that just 30 years before that, the Supreme Court was deciding that the ban against interracial marriage was unconstitutional.

“When black people today say that they don’t believe in gay marriage … the first thing that I say is, ‘Please don’t let anybody try to get you to vote against your own best interest by feeding you messages of hate.’ And then I say, ‘People used to say things like that about you and your love.’ ”

The German Emmerich is best known for producing and directing the 1996 blockbuster “Independence Day,” and “The Day After Tomorrow” in 2004.

Now openly gay, Emmerich said he long kept his homosexuality private because he didn’t want to be limited to gay stories, as had happened with other directors in Germany.

Emmerich’s gay-themed historical drama “Stonewall” will be released later this year.