LGBTQ+ representation on television still isn't perfect, and we're still not where we need to be when it comes to seeing our narratives portrayed completely and authentically on screen, but as the years go by, TV just keeps getting more and more queer-inclusive, and that's always a victory worth celebrating!
Earlier today, GLAAD released its annual "Where We Are on TV" report that "analyzes the overall diversity of primetime scripted series regulars on broadcast networks and looks at the number of LGBTQ characters on cable networks and streaming services for the 2019-2020 TV season."
Among their many findings, one of the most heartwarming was that 10.2 percent of regular characters on broadcast primetime scripted TV were identified as LGBTQ+ (90 characters out of 879). "This is the highest percentage GLAAD has found in the fifteen years this report has counted all broadcast series regulars," GLAAD said in a briefing of their findings.
Other notable LGBTQ+ achievements in TV that the media organization found included:
-The number of regular LGBTQ+ characters counted on scripted primetime cable increased to 121, while recurring characters increased to 94, making for 215 characters
-There were 109 LGBTQ+ regular characters counted in original scripted series on the streaming services Amazon, Hulu, and Netflix as well as 44 recurring characters, for a total of 153 LGBTQ+ characters
-Bisexual characters make up 26 percent of the LGBTQ+ characters tracked across all platforms
-LGBTQ+ characters of color outnumber white LGBTQ characters on broadcast television, 52 percent to 48 percent
While these numbers are really, really good, GLAAD is also calling on the TV industry to become even better in the upcoming years, challenging Hollywood to "make sure that 20 percent of series regular characters on primetime scripted broadcast series are LGBTQ+ by 2025."
With super-diverse shows like HBO's Euphoria, FX's Pose, and Netflix's Bojack Horseman paving the way for other creators who want to make LGBTQ+ inclusive art, we're sure that will definitely be a possibility!
Read the full "Where We Are on TV" report for the 2019-2020 TV season on GLAAD's website, here.
