From Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis to award-winning journalist Helen Zia to self-described pansexual comedienne Margaret Cho, gay Asian Americans are here, they're queer and they're hoping America gets used to them.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is trying to help. In time for last month's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, GLAAD released a new resource kit aimed at increasing the coverage of issues affecting gay Asian Americans.

The kit, at www.glaad.org, includes a glossary of terms related to gay Asian Americans, biographies of famous members of the community and a media contact list, among other things.

Until the mid 1990s, the majority of images of gays in the media were derogatory. Things have changed, with the success of shows such as 'Will & Grace' and 'Queer as Folk' and the rise of gay stars such as Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell. But depictions of gay Asian Americans, understandably, remain rare.

The new media kit is essential in order to give a voice to this minority within a minority, according to Loren R. Javier, cultural interest media manager at GLAAD.

'Growing up as a gay Filipino American, I constantly looked for images that I could see myself in,' he said. 'I had a really difficult time believing I was gay because I didn't see images of myself. I saw gay men as white and affluent people. That definitely played into my self esteem.'

There were three gay Asian-American characters on TV last year, according to Javier: one on 'ER,' one on the PBS reality series 'American High,' and one on the critically panned CBS show 'Some of My Best Friends.'

Although only 'ER' remains on the air, Javier considers the three characters important. 'Last year was the first time I saw a gay Filipino on TV. I usually have to see myself through other people's eyes,' he said.

Part of the problem is the media, but a large part lies in the stigma attached to homosexuality that remains strong in many Asian cultures, according to Patrick Mangto, executive director of Asian Pacific Islanders For Human Rights, who said he felt 'cultural guilt and shame' for being gay.

'Many Asian Pacific Islander communities still believe that the [gay] community is predominantly a white male community and that homosexuality is a western disease,' he said.

Family ties create added struggles, Javier said.

'Things differ depending on the country or culture, but family is one common thread that ties us together,' he said. 'I'm the only son in the family and there's this fear of coming out and failing your family by not carrying on the family name.'

Despite the difficulties, things are changing for the better, Javier said. 'There is a lot of work to do, but things are better now than ever before. There are organizations now that didn't exist 10 years ago. That's a start.'