“Modern Family” honored at GLSEN gala!

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) presented the stars of ABC’s Modern Family with the Respect Award for embracing diversity on the Emmy-winning sitcom.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitchell and is openly gay,was among the show’s stars who were on hand Friday night in Beverly Hills to accept the award.

On the red carpet, he talked about recent reports of gay teens who committed suicide because of bullying.

“I do have the same sort of mixed feeling, in the light of everything that’s happened,” he told the Associated Press. “However, I think an event like this echoes the sentiment that we need to change. This cannot continue happening.”

He remembers getting tormented when he was growing up, at one point having to switch school to escape the bullies.

Modern Family co-star Sofia Vergara said acceptance is even further away in her native Colombia: “The Latin community is a very Catholic community. So, it’s always a problem for people to accept it, and they live in denial for many years, the parents, and prefer not to address the problem. And that’s when tragedies and things happen. And, you know, it’s hard. You’re not going to change things in one day.”

Other stars attending the awards show were (pictured below) out country singer Chely Wright, out stage, film and TV star Wilson Cruz, the legendary Florence Henderson who is currently dazzling us on Dancing With the Stars, and the Oscar winner screenwriter and LGBT rights activist Dustin Lance Black.