Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Representation Is Worse Than You Think, According to GLAAD’s New Report
GLAAD’s latest study on LGBTQ+ representation in film found only 46 out of 225 major studio films featured a queer character.
The LGBTQ+ media advocacy organization GLAAD released its annual study on Thursday, which examines the representation of LGBTQ+ characters in film.
“Where We Are in Film” looked at characters featured in the movies from the 10 largest studio distributors — A24, Amazon Studios, Apple TV, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery — in 2025.
Out of the 225 movies released by those distributors, only 46 had an LGBTQ+ character, the report found. GLAAD notes that it is a 23.6% decrease from 2024. The group reports that this is the third year in a row that has seen a decline in queer characters.
No film examined by GLAAD researchers featured an out transgender character.
Of the 112 LGBTQ characters GLAAD counted, 59 were women, 46 were men, and seven were nonbinary characters. Thirty-five characters were lesbian, 57 were gay men, 11 were bisexual, six were queer, and three had undefined sexual orientations.
For the LGBTQ+ characters that were in films, there were decreases in characters of color, characters living with HIV or a disability, as well as the number of bisexual characters.
GLAAD did point out that a bright spot appeared in horror films, with films from I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Parenting, Companions, and Weapons featuring queer characters. Those films found box office success — something GLAAD’s CEO and president, Sarah Kate Ellis, noted in a press release.
“Audiences across the board are seeking out original and inclusive stories. Our study found LGBTQ stories in film that are both commercially and critically successful,” Ellis said. “In fact, every theatrically released LGBTQ-inclusive horror film made back over double the film’s production budget. If the industry doesn’t prioritize investing in films with LGBTQ characters, it risks losing a generation that will go elsewhere to find entertainment that does include our community.”
The business opportunity for studio distributors is something Megan Townsend, GLAAD’s senior director of entertainment research and analysis, pointed out in the report.
“LGBTQ audiences are one of the most quickly developing growth segments for businesses and it is becoming increasingly unlikely that a company can succeed on a mass scale without speaking to LGBTQ audiences and consumers,” Townsend said. “Studios should be paying attention to this dedicated audience – and paying attention across verticals as we see queer characters and stories cultivating engaged and eager fandoms who invest across music, video games, merchandise, audiobooks and more.”
