LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream movies hits record lows, study finds

2025 may have had some standout titles, but LGBTQ+ representation is sadly plummeting to record lows. A new report from GLAAD highlights very concerning statistics from Hollywood's top 10 studio distributors.

GLAAD's Where We Are in Film study (formerly titled the Studio Responsibility Index), released Wednesday, analyzed major films from top studios such as A24, Amazon Studios, Apple TV, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Last year, there were 225 films released by the 10 distributors tracked in this study. And of those selected films, only 46 contained LGBTQ characters (20.4 percent). This is a decrease from the 23.6 percent of inclusive films (59 of 250) counted in 2024, and the third year in a row LGBTQ+ representation has declined (down from the high 28.5 percent in the 2023 study).

The report also includes findings such as:

1. GLAAD counted a total of 112 LGBTQ characters in these 46 films, a decrease of 69 characters from the 181 LGBTQ characters in the previous year’s inclusive films.
2. There were zero transgender characters counted in the 2025 slate of films.
3. Of the 112 LGBTQ characters, 34 (30%) are characters of color, a decrease from the 36% counted the previous year.
4. There was a complete absence of LGBTQ inclusion in the 19 films categorized as animated/family films.

The report notes that this lack of representation in animated/family films — down from 8 percent last year — comes at "a particularly concerning time," as the Federal Communications Commission has proposed creating warning labels if trans or nonbinary characters are present in kids' content, another prong in the Trump administration's attacks on the transgender community. The report cites an MRI-Simmons poll showing that 62 percent of Americans would let their kids watch age-appropriate TV shows and films with LGBTQ+ characters.

Thankfully, the horror genre bucked the trend, with LGBTQ-inclusive titles like I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Parenting, Companion, and Weapons making a killing at the box office. LGBTQ+ inclusion also found a home — and saw significant returns for — indie studio labels and mid-budget films ($15-90 million production budget) like Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, After The Hunt, and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

GLAAD President & CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, wrote in a statement:

"Audiences across the board are seeking out original and inclusive stories. Our study found LGBTQ stories in film that are both commercially and critically successful. In fact, every theatrically released LGBTQ-inclusive horror film made back over double the film's production budget. 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."

Megan Townsend, GLAAD's senior director of entertainment research & analysis, adds: "Gen Z represents the largest share of moviegoers in North America. Gen Z also has the highest percentage of people who say they are part of the LGBTQ community, with Gallup reporting that more than 1 in 5 (23 percent) 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."

Keep scrolling to discover how each of the top 10 Hollywood studios were rated in this new GLAAD study, including in the nonprofit's Vito Russo test, an equivalent of the Bechdel test, which evaluates the quality and three-dimensionality of LGBTQ+ characters and storylines.

Editor's note: All information below provided by GLAAD. Studios listed in alphabetical order.