For the past eight years, GLAAD releases a report about LGBTQ representation in film and this year, the body has found that queer portrayal in major Hollywood films has seen as a record high, although it still has a long way to go.
The report (which you can read in full here) also showed transgender representation is still at an all-time low and according to findings from the media watchdog’s annual Studio Responsibility Index, none of the studios reached better than an “insufficient” rating.
GLAAD president, Sarah Kate Ellis said that “despite seeing a record-high percentage of LGBTQ-inclusive films this year, the industry still has a long way to go in terms of fairly and accurately representing the LGBTQ community.
“If film studios want to stay relevant to today’s audiences and compete in an industry that is emphasizing diversity and inclusion, then they must urgently reverse course on the diminishing representation of LGBTQ women and people of colour, as well as the complete absence of trans characters.”
In 2019, of 118 films released from major studios, 18.6% included characters that were lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer. While this trend has seen a rise from the previous year, there were no trans people included in any major release.
Representation of bisexuality also saw positives, however, while great in number, is hard to see on screen.
GLAAD also outlined racial diversity in the report, finding that there is a downward trend when it comes to LGBTQ characters of colour, down 42% from 2018.
Included in the ratings were Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios and STX.
The body has called for change, asking for studios to up there representation of LGBTQ people of colour to half by 2022, a 20% rise in overall queer inclusivity by 2021 50% by 2024.