A recent report from GLAAD reveals that 41% of the LGBTQ characters, and 61% of transgender characters currently on TV shows will not be returning next season.
GLAAD’s (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)Where We Are On TV, which “informs GLAAD’s own advocacy within the television industry,” reveals in their executive summary:
- Across primetime scripted broadcast, primetime scripted cable, and scripted streaming original series that premiered a new season between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025, GLAAD counted 489 LGBTQ characters in total. This is a 4% increase and 21 additional characters from 468 characters counted in the previous season.
- On primetime scripted broadcast, GLAAD counted 432 series regulars on primetime scripted broadcast series. Of those 432 characters, 40 (9.3%) are LGBTQ.
- Of the total 489 LGBTQ characters, 33 were transgender (6.7%). That is an increase of nine characters and 1.6 percentage points from the previous year.
- Of the 489 total LGBTQ characters on all platforms, 98 are bisexual+ (20%).
- Just over half of the LGBTQ characters across all platforms are people of color, at 248 out of 489 characters (51%).
GLADD found that a big reason for the loss of characters is series cancellations. Rather than a character exiting a show organically, the shows with LGBTQ characters are simply ending.
Several X accounts posted this news as a positive for America. On Sunday evening, Libs of Tik Tok shared, “I love some good news to start the week!” Steve Deace of the Blaze posted, “Finally, some good news.”
Others attribute this trend as being a result of the presidential election of 2024. Jack Posobiec from Turning Point USA, for example, said, “I voted for this.”
