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Cathy Renna serves as the Communications Director at the Task Force, focusing on aligning their values and demographics. She has held this role for the past five years. Before that, she spent 15 years running her own queer communications and crisis consulting firm, and 14 years working at GLAAD in the 90s.
What sparked your interest in queer media advocacy and activism?
For me it was initially about finding community – but what I found was a passion and talent for storytelling and understanding that visibility is power and a vital step in the process of educating the public about queer lives. It also set me on an unexpected career path but one that has given me experiences and opportunities beyond anything my young shy, tomboy self could ever have imagined.
What positive changes have you seen in the evolution of queer media?
Of course, our visibility has seen extraordinary progress – there is no facet of media that has not included our community. The undeniable reality of our existence has long been in the rear-view mirror, especially for LGB folks, but having representations that are inclusive of the full diversity of all our identities and extraordinary diversity still have a long way to go, especially for our trans and non-binary siblings. Bottom line is that our community is part of every community – a microcosm of our society and culture – and we must continue to fight for diverse representations that reflect our gender, age, class, race, ability and all other aspects of our lives.
What has been your most significant insight from the 14 years you spent at GLAAD?
To be completely blunt – it is that we need to prioritize working in our own community to fight the sexism, racism, classism, sizeism and other prejudices that are steeped in our culture and upbringing. We all need to look at our own houses and then do the work to bring ALL of us closer to liberation. And be allies for each other – especially more marginalized communities. For those with privilege – USE IT. I am well aware of what privilege I have can be leveraged to lift up the lives, stories and struggles of other queer people. The media and other means of visibility are the way I have chosen to do that work. Our organizations all have a responsibility to prioritize this no matter what kind of advocacy they do.
Your contributions at GLAAD & in media advocacy have certainly impacted the representation and understanding of queer identities in media. Have you noticed a change in queer representation due to the growth of queer media?
Queer media has been a critical – and often underappreciated – part of our fight for liberation and equality. I have always found queer media to be a foundational part of my work and always will – queer media is still the place where you can find the most diverse and comprehensive coverage of our communities and issues.
In recent years the advent of mainstream media taking on LGBTQ+ coverage in places dedicated to us – like THEM, NBCOut and others, have been an important addition to the queer media scene, as has the explosion of social media, queer and allied influencers and more.
As a communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, how do you and your team stay motivated and energized?
It’s pretty basic – we support each other, we look for the positive, the queer joy and share in the wins and challenges together. I am truly blessed to have an incredible team of very diverse and extraordinarily talented and dedicated communications team and organizational colleagues and partners that share the values of an intersectional approach to advocacy and a deep commitment to inclusivity and what we call “radical welcome” for all.
There’s much more to being a professional in any field than how we look. At Kirrin Finch, we believe that dressing authentically makes you the best version of yourself. How has your self-expression through fashion changed over the years?
I could share toddler pics of me in board shorts and a tank top with short hair as proof…. so no, I don’t think my tomboy/streetwear by day, dapper and tailored but with some flair for work/evening has ever changed. My parents and family have always been supportive of me being me in my dress and gender expression. I will never forget my Dad teaching me all about how men’s tailored clothes work and how important it was to feel good in what you were wearing. Also never ever buy cheap shoes! Helps that he was born in Italy and had style and panache for days – kind of a metrosexual before that was a thing. Now my wonderful wife Karen, a fabulous fashionista in her own right, is my North Star – my Dad would have loved her.
