A new study on the representation of LGBTQ+ people in the Canadian film, television, streaming and video game industries concludes that there are still significant gaps in how this diversity is represented, despite some recent improvements .
The article published Tuesday by the media queer Pink Triangle Press reports that a majority of industry professionals agree that the representation of LGBTQ+ characters is often superficial, stereotypical, and focused solely on trauma.
Launched at the Banff International Media Festival, the article is billed as the first comprehensive examination of LGBTQ+ representation in the Canadian entertainment markets, both English and French.
The article states that although 85% of industry professionals have seen improvements over the past five years, a “significant” gap persists in the amount and type of representation, particularly when it comes to characters queer and transgender.
The article is based on surveys, interviews and media content analysis collected from December 2023 to May 2024.
It concludes that gay men are the most well-represented LGBTQ+ group, but they still only make up 7% of characters on primetime shows.
The authors explain these obstacles to inclusion in particular by the lack of LGBTQ+ decision-makers in the industry, by leaders who are too “cautious”, as well as by the use of figures of speech and stereotypes.