LGBTQ+ inclusion in film at a three-year low, Glaad survey suggests

LGBTQ+ characters are slowly disappearing from film in a trend that disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ characters of color, according to a report published today.An annual study of films by Glaad (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has found that just 46 of 225 films released in 2025 contained LGBTQ+ characters, making only 20.4% of last year’s movies inclusive of the queer community.This marks the third year in a row to see a decline in LGBTQ+ representation after a record high of 28.5% in Glaad’s 2023 study.“If the industry doesn’t prioritize investing in films with LGBTQ characters, it risks losing a generation that will go elsewhere to find entertainment that does include our community,” said Glaad president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a press release.Mid-budget films were found to be a bright spot for LGBTQ+ representation, with the report praising Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, After The Hunt and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Horror films were particularly inclusive last year, with The Parenting, Companion and Weapons all including queer characters – and each making more than double their production budget back at the box office.While LGBTQ+ characters mainly took on supporting roles in the films surveyed, Glaad praised Nia DaCosta’s Hedda, the Ethan Hawke-starring Blue Moon and Eva Victor’s Sorry, Baby as movies that prominently featured queer characters and were warmly received by critics. “When our stories are centered, those films are seeing success,” the report reads.It was a less positive year for trans representation, with the report noting that trans inclusion was non-existent in the 200-plus films analyzed. “The misrepresentation and exclusion of transgender characters and stories in entertainment, while politicians and anti-LGBTQ activists are fixated on targeting trans people through misinformation, anti-trans legislation and violence, is unconscionable,” the study says.While Glaad’s report focuses on the 10 largest distributors, including Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, Netflix and A24, it also noted that smaller companies released “incredible LGBTQ-inclusive films that are breaking boundaries and deserve recognition”.Among the smaller distributors singled out for praise are Mubi (The History of Sound, Mother Father Sister Brother), Bleecker Street (The Wedding Banquet), Magnolia Pictures (Plainclothes) and Blue Harbor Entertainment (A Nice Indian Boy).In a press release, Glaad senior director of entertainment research and analysis Megan Townsend said that major studios ignoring queer and trans moviegoers is bad business.“Gen Z represents the largest share of moviegoers in North America,” Townsend said. “Gen Z also has the highest percentage of people who say they are part of the LGBTQ community, with Gallup reporting that more than one in 5 (23%) of Americans under the age of 30 are LGBTQ.“If studios want to stay relevant with younger audiences and bring in box office dollars, they can’t afford to ignore nearly one-quarter of their most enthusiastic ticket buyers.”