Hollywood has taken several steps back in its portrayals of the LGBT community.
GLAAD’S latest report, the Studio Responsibility Index, shows exactly how 2015 films fared when it came to LGBT characters. It's the organization's fourth study of this kind, and measures the “quantity, quality and diversity of LGBT people in films released by the seven largest motion picture studies and their subsidiaries” in the last calendar year.
Out of 126 major studio films, only 22 (17.5%) had characters who identified as LGBT. The figure was exactly the same in 2014.
SEE ALSO:Caitlyn Jenner to appear in new season of 'Transparent'More than three quarters of those inclusive films from 2015 featured gay male characters. Lesbian characters made up 23% of representation, and bisexual characters made up 9%. There was only one trans-inclusive film, the action comedy Hot Pursuit starring Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara.
Though LGBT diversity stayed the same from 2014 to 2015, racial diversity within that group actually decreased. About 32.1% of LGBT characters were people of color in 2014, whereas only 25.5% in 2015. Here’s how diverse representation broke down in 2015: white (72.3%), Latino (10.6%), black (8.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (6.4%).
GLAAD also noted that no studios got a “good” rating from them based on this study. Paramount, Walt Disney Studios and Warner Brothers all received a “failing” grade. The study also notes that LGBT portrayals in 2015 showed an increase in “outright offensive depictions of LGBT people, relying on gay panic and defamatory stereotypes for cheap laughs.” Two Kevin Hart films, Get Hard and The Wedding Ringer, were specifically pointed out, as was Hot Tub Time Machine 2.
“Hollywood’s films lag far behind any other form of media when it comes to portrayals of LGBT characters.”
“Hollywood’s films lag far behind any other form of media when it comes to portrayals of LGBT characters,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO. “Too often, the few LGBT characters that make it to the big screen are the target of a punchline or token characters. The film industry must embrace new and inclusive stories if it wants to remain competitive and relevant.”
Only one film last year was nominated for a GLAAD media award: Freeheld, the romance starring Ellen Page and Julianne Moore.
The study also measured how films did under the Vito Russo Test -- a measurement GLAAD introduced in 2012, named after the organization's noted co-founder and well-known film historian.
Partially inspired by the Bechdel Test, these are the Vito Russo's criteria:
That a character is identifiably lesbian, gay, bi or transgender.
Must not be defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Must be tied to the plot so their removal would have a significant effect on the story. Simply put, “the character should matter.”
Only eight films in 2015 fit that criteria, a figure that’s noted as “the lowest percentage in this study’s history.”
To learn more about the study, you can read it here on GLAAD's site.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
TopicsLGBTQ
(责任编辑：知識)
One of the most controversial power struggles in media comes to a close
LG G6 ushers in a new era of smartphones with huge screensLG G6 ushers in a new era of smartphones with huge screens
This NBA trade marks the end of basketball's best pre
What brands need to know about virtual realityMore than half of women in advertising have faced sexual harassment, report says
If you are a woman in advertising, chances are you've faced workplace sexual harassment at one point
...[详细]Worried about your Facebook data? You might want to try these tools
If you're a Facebook user, by now you probably know that every "like" and piece of information gets
...[详细]Tesla is so sure its cars are safe that it now offers insurance for life
In the self-driving future envisioned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, car owners might be saying "goodbye" t
...[详细]Japan launches an app that'll tell you where the nearest vacant toilet is
When you gotta go, you gotta go -- until all the cubicles are full and there's a snaking line waitin
...[详细]Two states took big steps this week to get rid of the tampon tax
This week was a big one for those advocating against a tampon tax. 。 First, on Thursday, California t
...[详细]Science is already political. Get over it and start marching.
As the March for Science in Washington, D.C., grows, so does its criticism. This should be expected.
...[详细]Moana and Maui outwit a giant eight
The underworld of Moanais dark and full of terrors -- one of which we never got to see before now.In
...[详细]Sean Spicer was once a terrifying White House Easter Bunny
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer is having one hell of a weekend. He riled up journalists wit
...[详细]Singapore gets world's first driverless taxis
SINGAPORE -- The world's first self-driving taxis started picking up passengers in Singapore on Thur
...[详细]BlackBerry's smartphone market share is finally 0%
BlackBerry sold 200,000 of its own phones last year, but that might as well have been zero.The oneti
...[详细]This German startup wants to be your bank (without being a bank)
High quality toilet paper saves dude from a nightmare
