The advocacy group GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) just released its 19th annual report on LGBT characters in television shows for the 2023-2024 season, noting a decrease in representation for the second year in a row.
The “Where We Are on TV” report noted that 468 LGBT characters appeared on TV shows last year compared to 596 the previous year. It found that 36% of those characters would not be returning for the upcoming season.
GLAAD reported 39 LGBT regulars on 64 primetime series, representing a decrease of 44% (31 characters) compared to the previous year. However, this reduction could be partly due to fewer primetime shows across the spectrum.
On cable, the watchdog organization noted 77 LGBT characters, a 45% drop from last year. Those 77 will be further reduced next year as 38 will leave due to canceled shows or characters dying or being written off.
The GLAAD study also found that the number of transgender characters decreased from 32 to 24 for the 2023-2024 TV season. It also found 72 fewer “characters of color,” with 232 total.
“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,” Megan Townsend, GLAAD senior director of entertainment research and analysis, said of the study results.
Despite recent decreases, LGBT representation has increased dramatically since the “Where We Are on TV” report began. The organization reported a 1276% increase, with 13.7x more LGBT characters on television compared to the 1996-97 season.
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GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said networks should continue to cast LGBT characters.
“We know that LGBTQ-inclusive series can indeed be successful, as demonstrated by shows like ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Yellowjackets,’” Ellis said in response to the findings. “We know it is imperative for the queer community, especially transgender people, to see our lives reflected on screen to counteract the misinformation and harmful rhetoric going unchecked by politicians and journalists. And we know that younger audiences are hungry for shows that truly reflect the world around them.”