According to New Report, LGBTQ Representation in Movies Decreased in 2021
By Movieguide® Staff
A new report from GLAAD revealed LGBTQ representation on screen fell in 2021.
GLAAD’s 10th Annual Studio Responsibility Index found that screen time for LGBTQ characters decreased drastically and condemned Paramount and Lionsgate for not including one LGBTQ character in their 2021 releases.
While Disney pushed for LGBTQ inclusivity in their 2022 movies (LIGHTYEAR, STRANGE WORLD), last year GLAAD noted the company’s lack of representation.
For the year of 2021, GLAAD gave the thumbs up to only nine movies in total.
According to The Wrap, the list of nine movies include:
Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” (20th Century Studios) which featured the transgender character Anybodys, played by nonbinary actor iris menas; Disney’s “Eternals” — which featured Marvel’s first openly gay couple and kiss — and “Jungle Cruise;” MGM’s “No Time To Die,” with implied gay character Q (Ben Whishaw); Sony’s “Our Ladies,” Universal’s “Licorice Pizza,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “Candyman” and Warner Bros.’ “In the Heights.”
All seven studios received “Insufficient,” “Poor,” or “Failing” grades in the new-to-the index evaluation of public advocacy on LGBTQ issues, employee resources, and political giving from studios and parent companies.
In 2022 Disney flipped the script, only to disappoint and even bomb at the box office.
Comparing GLAAD’s report from last year with box office results of pro-LGBTQ movies this year, it proves that GLAAD and Disney are both out of touch with cinema’s largest audience: families.
Despite STRANGE WORLD becoming a box office disaster for the Walt Disney Animation Studio—which is estimated to lose around $100M—GLAAD praised the movie for its lead, gay character.
“Having a gay teen protagonist in a family film is a huge step in the right direction for the genre, and an example we’d like to see more studios follow,” GLAAD wrote.
The report also praised Disney the top rating of 100 on the 2022 Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index due to employee benefits that include same-sex partners and transgender health care.
Ironically, Disney’s shining inclusion score came in the same year as Bob Chapek’s exit, a historically bad financial fourth quarter, and multiple box office misfires.
While GLAAD seemingly praises objective failures in entertainment and business, it also spends time bashing family-friendly channels like GAC.
GLAAD reportedly “threatened the Great American Family channel with an advertiser boycott” over actress Candace Cameron Bure’s comments on marriage, Breitbart reported.
Studios are now faced with a choice: appease GLAAD and score high on the inclusive index, or appease audiences and stay in business.
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