Reports Show LGBTQ+ Representation On The Decline In 2024

LGBTQ representation in films is down from last year, according to a new report from GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).

 

GLAAD’s 2024 Studio Responsibility Index measured the “ quantity, quality and diversity ” of LGBTQ characters among studio releases. In 2023, of the organization’s 256 films, only 70 had an LGBTQ character, down from 100 such characters in the group’s tally of 350 movies released last year.

 

GLAAD looked at films from 10 major studios such as Netflix, The Walt Disney Studios, A24, Amazon Studios, and Warner Bros. Entities owned by Discovery, Apple TV+, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Paramount Global and Sony.

 

 

Though, the majority of studios were slapped with an “insufficient” or “fair” label despite all those films passing this particular test. Notably, Walt Disney — the studio behind 14 of the 37 such “LGBTQ-inclusive” movies — was deemed “failing.” A24, who produced 5 of OSMP’s 16 “LGBTQ-inclusive” films, also received an “insufficient” ranking on their studio grade card.

 

In a particularly damning part, GLAAD lamented that no major studio release featured an LGBTQ character in kids’ and family entertainment: “the overall lack of representation in the kids and family genre is disappointing. The report continued, “This year there was a decrease in kids and family films with LGBTQ stories (fewer than 1%) compared to last year — after GLAAD demanded at least 10% of kid-focused major studio releases include LGBTQ characters by 2021.

 

A report issued earlier this year, GLAAD’s “Where We Are on TV,” showed that there were 468 LGBT characters on TV shows last year, compared to 596 the previous season. The report also stated that 36% of the characters are not back on the new season.

 

There were 64 series out of a record 988 that featured regular non-straight characters (39) on primetime TV, according to GLAAD. This decrease may result in fewer primetime programs. Meanwhile, just 77 scripted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters are set to appear on cable television — a 45% decrease from last year. But that number is due to dwindle further as 38 characters were set to exit due to canceled shows or storylines.

 

Yet, even with these recent declines, LGTQ representation has grown overall since GLAAD’s first Studio Responsibility Index in 2013. Just 14 of the 101 films included characters identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual four years ago, and none had transgender characters.