LGBTQ+ Representation in Film Hits a Three-Year Low: GLAAD Report

GLAAD's (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) annual film study reveals a trend of LGBTQ+ characters slowly disappearing from cinema, one that is hitting LGBTQ+ characters of color the hardest. According to the report, only 46 of the 225 films released in 2025 included an LGBTQ+ character — just 20.4% of last year's films featured the queer community. This marks the third consecutive year of decline since GLAAD's 2023 study recorded a record 28.5%.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement, "If the industry doesn't prioritize investment in films featuring LGBTQ characters, it risks losing a generation that will seek out content representing this community elsewhere."

Mid-budget films were a bright spot in the report for LGBTQ+ representation: 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,' 'After the Hunt,' and 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' all earned praise. Horror was also notably inclusive — 'The Parenting,' 'Companion,' and 'Weapons' all featured queer characters, and all three grossed more than twice their budget at the box office. While LGBTQ+ characters largely remained in supporting roles, GLAAD highlighted Nia DaCosta's 'Hedda,' Ethan Hawke's 'Blue Moon,' and Eva Victor's 'Sorry, Baby' as critically well-received films that put queer characters at the center. In the report's words: "When our stories are centered, these films succeed."

The picture is far darker when it comes to trans representation: of the more than 200 films analyzed, not a single one included a trans character. The report states, "While politicians and anti-LGBTQ activists target trans people through misinformation, discriminatory laws, and violence, it is unconscionable that the entertainment industry continues to misrepresent and exclude trans characters and stories."