When it comes to portraying LGBT people onscreen, the Hollywood studios are falling behind the rest of the media, with three of the studios — Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. — all receiving failing grades, according to GLAAD, the LGBT advocacy group, which released its annual studio report card on Monday.
The group’s fourth annual Studio Responsibility Index found that of 126 releases from the major studios, only 22 of them, or 17.5 percent, included LGBT characters. That percentage was exactly the same as the percentage recorded in 2014.
"Hollywood's films lag far behind any other form of media when it comes to portrayals of LGBT characters," GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in releasing the report. "Too often, the few LGBT characters that make it to the big screen are the target of a punchline or token characters. The film industry must embrace new and inclusive stories if it wants to remain competitive and relevant."
No studio received a rating of “Good” for its 2015 releases. Lionsgate (which included LBGT characters in 33 percent of its movies), Sony (19 percent), Universal (19 percent) and Fox (12 percent) received “Adequate” marks, while Warners (20 percent) and Paramount and Disney — neither of which included any LGBT characters in any of their movies — got “Failing” grades.
Looking at the studio releases, the basic numbers only told part of the story. The majority of LGBT characters in mainstream movies, the report said, remain minor — both in substance and screen time. Of the 22 LGBT-inclusive films, almost three quarters, 73 percent, of them include less than 10 minutes of screen time for LGBT characters. “Not only must there be a larger number of LGBT roles, but they must be roles built with substance and purpose,” the report said.
I think it's probably going to be even worse this year because I haven't heard of any "big" gay films like Carol, The Danish Girl, Freeheld, Tangerine, or Grandma that could positively contribute to our representation in film in 2016.
I guess I agree as far as films go, but I feel like television has been getting a lot better. Almost new show has at least one LGBT character in the cast. It's becoming the standard.
I agree. The biggest issue, for me, is that LGBT characters are typically incredibly stereotyped to the point where I don't care for them. Xena (even though it's not explicitly stated), is my favorite LGBT-perceived character.
Gays aren't that populous and I don't want them added for the sake of being added. Same with anybody else. Don't reduce somebody to the "token minority".
I think it's probably going to be even worse this year because I haven't heard of any "big" gay films like Carol, The Danish Girl, Freeheld, Tangerine, or Grandma that could positively contribute to our representation in film in 2016.
Certain of those titles you named don't belong on that list. The "positive" part.
But I'm pretty sure there will be a few coming up, esp late in the year and/or from fests.
