Shoppers, critics and moviegoers are noticing a retreat: GLAAD’s annual tally finds fewer LGBTQ+ characters in major-studio films last year, sparking fresh debate about visibility, box office and who Hollywood is making movies for. Here’s what the decline looks like, why it matters, and how viewers and creators are responding.

Essential Takeaways

  • Scope of study: GLAAD reviewed 225 films from the ten largest studios and streaming divisions, finding 46 (20.4%) included LGBTQ+ characters.
  • Three-year slide: Representation dropped from 28.5% in 2023, to 23.6% in 2024, to 20.4% in 2025, according to the report.
  • Family films excluded: None of the 19 family-rated (PG and below) releases featured LGBTQ+ characters last year.
  • Genre and budget patterns: Horror and lower-budget films under $15m were more likely to include queer characters; big-budget family fare was least likely.
  • Commercial stakes: GLAAD warns studios risk alienating younger, more diverse audiences and losing future box-office relevance.

Why the drop feels sharper than the numbers suggest

The headline percentage , about one in five films , still sounds respectable until you track the direction. A steady fall over three years gives the impression of retreat rather than a one-off blip, and it's the pattern that fuels concern. The absence of any LGBTQ+ characters in family-rated films feels especially stark, creating a visual gap for kids and families that advocates say matters. Industry observers note this isn’t just about onscreen count but about the kinds of roles and the visibility those characters receive, and the report highlights both quantity and quality issues.

Who gets represented , and where

Not all corners of cinema are equal here. The report, and subsequent commentary, flag horror and smaller indie-style projects as relatively friendly spaces for queer stories. That makes sense: horror has long been a place for outsiders and subtextual queer narratives, while lower-budget films can take risks studios won’t. By contrast, big studio tentpoles and family franchises , where a huge, global audience could see themselves represented , tend to play it safe. If you care about authentic, varied portrayals, you’ll want to follow indie slates and festival line-ups as much as mainstream releases.

The commercial argument: are studios shooting themselves in the foot?

GLAAD frames the decline as a business risk, pointing to young audiences , especially Gen Z , as a demographic that cares about representation. That’s a market argument as much as a moral one: if younger ticket buyers feel unseen, they might migrate to platforms and creators that reflect them. Media reports and diversity studies have been signalling shifts in audience tastes for years, and studio executives who want to future-proof franchises are being nudged to think beyond short-term controversy. Still, some studio leaders respond that casting and story choices are driven by perceived international market sensitivities and risk calculations, which complicates a neat answer.

The transgender and bisexual visibility problem

Beyond the overall percentage decline, the report raises alarms about specific absences. Trans characters were reportedly absent from the 225 films surveyed, and bisexual representation declined slightly. That’s not merely a numbers issue: it’s about people being erased from narratives where nuance or struggle could be explored. Advocacy groups and some filmmakers say that when trans and bi experiences vanish from mainstream cinema, it narrows public understanding and makes it harder for authentic storytellers to get funding or distribution.

What audiences and creators can do next

If you want better representation, where you spend time and money matters. Seek out and support films at festivals, smaller distributors and streaming labels that champion queer talent; those projects are already doing the heavy lifting. Creators should keep pitching diverse stories and look to horror and indie producers as entry points. And studios, if they’re listening, might consider investing in more inclusive writers’ rooms and outreach so family films and tentpoles reflect the world that buys tickets.

It's a small change in decision-making that could make every film feel a bit more like it was made for everyone.

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