Television representation of LGBTQ characters fell by 25 percent over the past year, dropping from 489 characters down to 369 in the annual Where We Are on TV report published by the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, according to findings from The Guardian, TheWrap, PinkNews, and The Hill.
The steep decline across scripted broadcast, cable, and streaming series—tracking the period from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026—was driven primarily by a 79 percent drop in transgender characters, falling from 33 down to just seven. Researchers counted six transgender women and one transgender man among those roles.
“Hollywood is slashing LGBTQ stories and characters even while demand is increasing,” Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO, told PinkNews.
Among the broader categories tracked in the study, queer characters fell 50 percent, gay characters dropped 32 percent, lesbian characters decreased by 14 percent, and bisexual characters declined by 5 percent. Non-binary characters were the only demographic to show an increase, rising 33 percent.
Transgender Roles Face Severe Slump
The report revealed that none of the seven transgender characters counted in the 2025–2026 television season will return for the next season, as three appeared on shows that have been canceled or concluded and four featured in limited series.
GLAAD identified three of those cancelled or concluding programs as The Family Law, Community Squad, and Squid Game, while the limited series included The Dead Girls, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, Unspeakable Sins, and Wayward, according to TheWrap.
In a separate movie study released in July covering 225 films across 10 major distributors, GLAAD found zero transgender characters included in any of the analyzed cinematic projects.
Actors across the industry report that the contraction in television and film has severely impacted their livelihoods. Trace Lysette described the employment drought as a full-on ego death after failing to secure television series regular roles following her Independent Spirit Award nomination for Monica, The Guardian reported.
Saw that Jack Haven was about to lose SAG-Aftra health insurance…made a video and then “got a lot of offers” for jobs. I’d just like to say I lost my SAG health insurance 2 yrs ago which is why I had to find money elsewhere. Sooo, if anyone has a gig. Here is me asking for help…
“No one wants us any more, and that affects our healthcare,” Vico Ortiz, star of Our Flag Means Death, told The Guardian over Zoom.
“We all used to be booked and busy, and then it was like: 'Oh shit, we're all getting dropped like flies,'” Vico Ortiz, star of Our Flag Means Death, told The Guardian.
In September, actor Jack Haven posted a public video plea requesting $4,000 in work to qualify for Screen Actors Guild health insurance. Other prominent performers, including Emmy winner Laverne Cox and Oscar nominee Elliot Page, have similarly said that acting opportunities and speaking engagements have decreased over the past two years.
Political Rhetoric and Industry Reaction
Industry advocates attribute the shrinking visibility to a combination of corporate caution and political backlash. Raina Deerwater, associate director of entertainment research and analysis for the GLAAD Media Institute, pointed to anti-trans rhetoric and legislation that intensified following the 2024 election cycle.
“Trans folks are being scapegoated, and now they can’t even turn off the news and turn on whatever TV they watch for fun to get a trans story,” Deerwater told The Guardian.
Performers like Rebecca Root suggest that decision-makers in Hollywood have grown paralyzed by a fear of alienating reactionary audiences. Meanwhile, platforms and studios continue to see strong audience demand for queer-inclusive programming, with titles like Heated Rivalry and The Hunting Wives drawing major viewership numbers on streaming services.
How many LGBTQ characters were counted in total?
How many LGBTQ characters were counted in total for the 2025–2026 television season?
GLAAD counted 369 LGBTQ characters across scripted broadcast, cable, and streaming television, representing a 25 percent decrease from the 489 characters recorded in the previous season, according to PinkNews and The Hill.
Which film distributors were included in the GLAAD movie study?
The July film report analyzed 225 movies across 10 major distributors, including A24, Amazon MGM Studios, Apple TV, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Skydance, Sony, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros Discovery, as reported by The Guardian.
What percentage of queer characters on television were people of color?
According to data from TheWrap, 44 percent of queer characters on television were people of color, marking an eight-year low for the industry down from 51 percent the previous year.
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