Many see the hit ’90s show “Will and Grace” as a turning point. As the first major network television show to feature homosexual characters, “Will and Grace” played a huge role in opening the floodgates for LGBT representation.
In the years since, organizations like GLAAD have continued pushing for more and more LGBT characters and storylines in film, television, video games and pretty much every other type of media imaginable.
But, after years of upturn, that trend may finally be reversing — and GLAAD is none too happy about it.
According to a GLAAD report obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, LGBT representation is dropping drastically.
The report, a study called “Where We Are on TV,” analyzes how many LGBT characters appear in regular and/or recurring parts on television shows across various networks and streaming services.
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The number of said characters was 468 from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024.
As many as 36 percent of those characters will not be returning to the silver screen.
This was over 100 fewer LGBT characters than the 596 GLAAD reported in the previous iteration of the “Where We Are on TV” report.
The number of series regulars specifically dropped from 70 to 39, a nearly 50 percent reduction (though it should be noted some of that drop is due to fewer shows being debuted).
Is LGBT representation in television necessary?
Suffice it to say, GLAAD isn’t happy with the study’s findings.
“GLAAD’s Where We Are on TV study found a number of concerning decreases across the board in the past two years, alongside a changing industry on all fronts which is seeing increased vertical integration and contracting budgets and staff,” said Megan Townsend, GLAAD senior director of entertainment research and analysis, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that Hollywood is slowly turning away from LGBT projects — at least to a certain degree.
Many recent LGBT films have struggled financially.
For example, the heavily marketed 2022 gay romantic comedy “Bros” was a financial flop. The very first Disney film to feature an openly gay main character, “Strange World,” also failed.
There are far more examples of such failures going further back, as a 2014 IndieWire article titled “Why Don’t LGBT Movies Make Money At The Box Office Anymore?” notes.
Now that Hollywood is entering a period of severe financial struggle and retraction, studios no doubt need to focus on more surefire hits and fewer vanity projects.
LGBT shows and films likely tend to fall in the latter category.
