Growing up, Alex Schmider didn’t see a future for himself. “I didn’t see trans people growing up and getting older in the media, let alone living full and fulfilling lives,” he says. “The absence of this representation left me without much ability to imagine or envision a future for myself, which TV and film can help illuminate for us when we see ourselves reflected.”
Now, as the senior director of entertainment at GLAAD (and an Emmy nominated film producer), he helps others see themselves through consulting on LGBTQ+ characters, storylines, and marketing efforts across film and television. His work doesn’t stop there — he also works with tech companies, including dating apps, on developing products, features, and platform updates to better serve their increasingly LGBTQ+ consumers.
“Every day, I get to do this work, telling stories where LGBTQ+ people are able to more expansively see themselves and the possibilities for their lives. [It] is how I give forward,” Schmider says. “We each deserve to be the hero in our own story, and we also have the opportunity to help others see themselves as the heroes in theirs.” @glaad
