Lesbian
Trans
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
Hey there, fabulous friends! It’s your favorite sassy drag queen blogger back at it again, serving up some piping hot tea on LGBT representation on TV. Now, honey, we all know that visibility is crucial for our community, and it’s time to spill the T on transgender characters. So, get ready to be gagged by the facts, darling!
Now, sit down sis, because the numbers this year have me feelin’ a little *shook*. Transgender representation has decreased by almost 25 percent, dropping from 42 characters to 32. But don’t you worry your pretty little heads, my loves, because some of our favorite shows with fierce trans characters (Billions, Euphoria, Heartstopper, Our Flag Means Death, Sex Education, Star Trek: Discovery, and With Love) are just on a break and will be back soon!
Out of the 596 LGBTQ characters counted across broadcast, streaming, and cable TV, 32 (five percent) are transgender. Henny, we’ve got 16 trans women, 11 trans men, and five nonbinary trans characters. But let’s talk about diversity, darling! We have 12 white trans characters, 10 Latinx, three Black, three API, two multiracial, one Indigenous, and one Middle Eastern representation. However, there are zero trans characters with a disability, and that’s a problem!
Now, let’s dive into the fabulous world of love and attraction. Among our 32 trans characters, 14 are straight, five bisexual+, four queer, and two gay. But hold up – there are zero lesbian trans characters? And seven of our trans characters have undetermined sexual orientations? Sis, we need better writing and understanding of the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation!
On broadcast networks, we’ve got seven transgender characters. Cable stepped it up a notch with nine trans characters, with Disney Channel bringing us almost half of them! Talk about progress, honey! And in the streaming world, there are 16 trans characters, although sadly, this is a decrease from last year.
But let’s focus on the positives, shall we? Shows like September Mornings, A League of Their Own, Sort Of, The Umbrella Academy, and Dead End: Paranormal Park have all given us moments of trans representation that had me snatching my own wig!
Now, my darlings, while we’ve got some fab representation, there’s still work to be done. We need more diversity, better writing, and a deeper understanding of the issues that our trans siblings face. So, let’s keep pushing for change and celebrating the progress we’ve made so far!
Stay fierce, kittens! Until next time, this has been your sassy drag queen blogger, signing off with a *death drop* and a kiss! Mwah!
