Riley Stavros and Zane Park of TeenNick's Degrassi: The Next
Generation also get Clarknt67's "Cutest LGBT Couple" award
Rupert Murdoch's Fox network took top honors from an LGBT rights group today. Media watchdog The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (
GLAAD) declared Fox the most LGBT-inclusive broadcast network. The survey looks a regularly appearing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters the 2011-2012 season.
From their press release:
- Fox leads the other broadcast networks with 8 LGBT characters out of 117 total series regular characters; the highest number of LGBT characters of any broadcast network for the 2010-2011 season.
- ABC is not in the lead for the first time in six years, and has significantly dropped in its percentage of regular LGBT characters, from 7.2% in 2010 to 3.4% for the upcoming season.
- NBC is in decline for the third year in a row, and will feature three (1.9%) regular LGBT characters out of 154
- The CW has also taken a step back, and will feature only one LGBT series regular characters out of 67 (1.5%).
- CBS remains in last place for the fourth year in a row. Out of 134 series regular characters, only one will be LGBT (0.7%), but the network will include several LGBT recurring characters.
Certainly the gayer than gay
Glee gave Fox a big bump. Not terribly long ago, say 2005, the Fox entertainment line up included
House, Prison Break, The OC, Bones, 24, comedies Malcom in the Middle, Bernie Mac and there was scarcely a regular LGBT character to be found.
Historically strong performer ABC has lost LGBT favorites, Ugly Betty and Brothers and Sisters in the last two years, and has not replenished their character stock. Last place CBS continues to feature mostly corpses in their prime-time line up.
Overall, statistical representation was down but remained strong and subjective context continues a trend toward sensitivity and accuracy. Said GLAAD Acting President Mike Thompson:
“While the number of LGBT characters is down, some of the most popular shows with critics and viewers such as Glee, True Blood and The Good Wife weave storylines about gay and lesbian characters into the fabric of the show. Whether it’s the growing household of Mitchell and Cameron on Modern Family or the recent wedding of Callie and Arizona on Grey’s Anatomy, Americans expect to see the diversity of our country represented in their favorite programs and that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.”
Patty Bouvier of
The Simpsons.
Unfortunately, if you'd like to see an LGBT of color on a broadcast networks, your choices are limited to Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander. Or perhaps we can interest you in something
animated? There is not a single African American LGB character on broadcast (and zero Ts of any color in scripted broadcast shows).
Now, if you're among the 100 million American homes that have cable, you're getting a more technicolor picture. GLAAD's survey of cable networks found (PDF):
- 13% are Black
- 7% are Asian/Pacific Islander
- 4% are Latino
- 4% are considered “other.”
It's worth keeping in mind that the total LGBT characters found on all cable networks was 55. As such the addition or subtraction of a single character can shift percentages rather disproportionately. (Consider that Logo network's
Noah's Arc revolved around five African American men and the effect its going off the air in 2006 had on this annual survey.)
Thompson addresses the disparity saying:
Lafeyette from
HBO'sTrue Blood
“GLAAD continues to call for networks to not only include LGBT characters, but ensure that the images reflect the gender and ethnic diversity that makes up our community. There are zero LGBT African American or transgender characters on broadcast network TV, but storylines like those of True Blood's spirit-channeling fry cook Lafayette and Degrassi’s transgender teen Adam on cable demonstrate how more diverse representations make for popular, original and compelling television.”
Adam Torres of TeenNick's Degrassi: The Next Generation remains the
lone transgender character in primetime scripted television.
A fuller report is here. The org as prepared a slideshow portfolio of 83 characters from around the dial at that link.