LGBTQ Representation in Film Declines for Third Consecutive Year, GLAAD Reports
A new study from GLAAD indicates a troubling pattern in Hollywood: the presence of LGBTQ characters in major motion pictures has seen a consecutive decline over the past three years. This trend raises questions about the film industry's commitment to diverse storytelling and its potential impact on audience engagement, particularly among younger demographics.
Shrinking Visibility: LGBTQ Characters in Cinema
The 14th edition of GLAAD's annual report, now rebranded as 'Where We Are in Film,' meticulously examined 225 feature films released in 2025 by the ten largest studio distributors. The findings reveal that only 46 of these films, accounting for 20.4 percent, included LGBTQ characters. This figure marks a further reduction from 2024, when 23.6 percent of films featured such characters, and represents the third consecutive year of decline since a peak of 28.5 percent in 2023. Additionally, the total count of LGBTQ characters observed fell significantly from 181 to 112.
Further analysis within the report highlighted several critical areas of concern. Alarmingly, no LGBTQ characters were found in the 19 animated or family-rated films reviewed, and transgender characters were entirely absent from all 225 films. The representation of characters of color also experienced a substantial 36 percent decrease compared to 2024 data. Bisexual characters saw a particular downturn, appearing in only 10 out of the 46 films that featured LGBTQ individuals, a drop to 22 percent from 25 percent the prior year. Despite these declines, the study identified horror films as a 'bright spot' for LGBTQ inclusion, citing titles like 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and 'Weapons.' Mid-budget productions (ranging from $15-90 million) also continued to show promising levels of LGBTQ representation.
Industry Imperatives: The Cost of Exclusion
Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, issued a stark warning to the film industry, emphasizing that a continued failure to invest in films with LGBTQ characters risks alienating an entire generation of viewers. She stressed the importance of inclusive storytelling for maintaining relevance and financial success in an evolving market.
Echoing these sentiments, Megan Townsend, GLAAD's senior director of entertainment research and analysis, underscored the demographic shifts influencing audience behavior. Gen Z now constitutes the largest segment of North American moviegoers, with a significant portion identifying as LGBTQ—Gallup reports that over one in five Americans under 30 belong to the LGBTQ community. Townsend argued that studios cannot afford to overlook this vital and enthusiastic audience if they wish to remain competitive and profitable at the box office. The report also detailed a shift in GLAAD's methodology, now categorizing characters based on their narrative significance (lead, significant supporting, supporting, and background) rather than screen time, and moving away from a grading system previously used in its 'Studio Responsibility Index.'
