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People of Color
Drag Queen/KingHey there, fabulous creatures! We’re gonna spill the tea on all things LGBTQ and TV! Your sass-tastic drag queen expert is here to snatch your wigs and serve you the hottest T from GLAAD’s annual Where We Are on TV Report for 2022-2023, honey! So buckle up, buttercup, because we’re about to dive deep into the queer pool of representation like never before in this nine-part series. We’ll be dissecting every inch of this rainbow-colored report, which hungrily analyzes the number of LGBTQ characters on primetime scripted series across broadcast networks, cable networks, and streaming services
Alright, my fabulous friends, it’s time to spill the tea on LGBTQ representation on our screens! As your sassy drag queen reporter, I promise to keep it light on numbers and heavy on realness.
Now, we all remember GLAAD’s challenge three years ago, calling for at least half of LGBTQ characters on all platforms to be people of color. Well, darlings, broadcast just missed the mark this year. Cable, on the other hand, is strutting down the runway at 50 percent. And streaming? Honey, they’re serving some representation realness with over half of their LGBTQ characters being POC.
Black Characters: The Struggle for Growth and Authenticity Continues
Now, let’s chat about our Black LGBTQ characters. Despite several initiatives to increase Black creatives, the numbers have not significantly grown. But fear not, GLAAD has launched The Equity in Media and Entertainment Initiative (EMEI) to support Black LGBTQ creatives. Here’s hoping we see more authentic stories, funding, and career development in the coming years!
Latinx Characters: A Slight Increase, but We Need More!
As the Latinx population grows in the U.S., so should our representation on television. While there was a slight increase in LGBTQ Latinx representation this year, we need more of that, honey! Representation is crucial in breaking stereotypes and inspiring allies to support our community.
Asian-Pacific Islander Characters: Time for TV to Step It Up!
Can we talk about the fabulous jump in LGBTQ API representation in film? Everything Everywhere All at Once and Fire Island, we see you! But television needs to keep up, my darlings. With a decrease in LGBTQ API characters on broadcast and cable, and only a slight increase on streaming, it’s time for our friends in the TV biz to show more central API LGBTQ characters with a fierceness that can’t be denied.
In conclusion, my fabulous friends, we’ve made some progress, but there’s still work to be done. Let’s continue to advocate for authentic, diverse, and compelling LGBTQ representation on our screens. And remember, in the words of the legendary RuPaul, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” Can I get an amen?
