As GLAAD releases the 20th anniversary edition of its ‘Where We Are on TV’ report, LGBTQ representation appears to be at a pace of two steps forward, three steps back.
Despite the 2025 report (read it here) showing a slight uptick from last year’s 468 to 489 LGBTQ characters across all platforms, that number takes a major blow as more than 200 (41%) of those characters will not return, due to series cancellations, endings or limited series format.
With 96 (20%) LGBTQ characters on shows that have not yet been renewed, their onscreen fates hang in the balance.
Of the departing characters, the report tracked “a large and concerning number” of trans-inclusive series that have ended, including 9-1-1: Lone Star, Kaos and Clean Slate. While the number slightly increased year-over-year from 24 to 33, only four of those characters are on shows with renewals.
“Television is a powerful medium, because these characters grow and evolve over the years, alongside the audience,” the report reads. “When so many series are only being greenlit for short runs and the seasons themselves are getting shorter, the potential larger impact of these characters disappears. Less than half of the LGBTQ characters counted appear on renewed series, and with their loss comes a loss of possibility for impact that continues for years with an audience, creating social change.”
In a year that saw Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs take hits at several major studios, shows like HBO Max’s And Just Like That…, Prime Video’s Harlem, Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern and Netflix’s Heartstopper are all over or coming to an end.
“To reflect the LGBTQ experience and to show the diversity of our community, these kinds of series are essential for authentic representation,” the report adds.
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