Last year, GLAAD introduced the first annual Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) — a new report examining the quantity and quality of LGBT representation in mainstream Hollywood film, and the results were less than encouraging.
The second report has just been released, and though time may have marched forward a year, you wouldn’t have guessed it by their findings.
Of the 102 releases from the major studios in 2013, 17 of them included characters identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The majority of these characters were minor roles or cameos, and GLAAD found that many of these were outright defamatory representations in films such as Pain & Gain (from noted big-budget director of homophobic films Michael Bay) and Riddick.
Paramount and Warner Brothers received failing grades for including only minor and offensive portrayals of LGBT people in their 2013 releases. 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios received grades of adequate. Sony Columbia was the first and only studio to receive a good score for several LGBT-inclusive films, including Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which was the only film tracked in the report that was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. No studio has yet received a grade of excellent.
“The lack of substantial LGBT characters in mainstream film, in addition to the outdated humor and stereotypes suggests large Hollywood studios may be doing more harm than good when it comes to worldwide understanding of the LGBT community,” said GLAAD’s CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis. “These studios have the eyes and ears of millions of audience members, and should reflect the true fabric of our society rather than feed into the hatred and prejudice against LGBT people too often seen around the globe.”
Wonder what they’d say about TV land, where thoughtful LGBT representation in series and TV movies seems to be on the rise.
To view the full report, head here.
tdx3fan
I think the goal of Hollywood is to make movies that people want to see. That is it. I could care less if they promote the special snowflake syndrome even if its the gay one.
JAWIWA
What is that Mark Wahlberg photo doing there?
Pistolo
There’s two markets, domestic and international. At least half of the domestic audience is homophobic and probably 80% of the international audience is too. That’s why gays are excluded from blockbusters, that’s why there isn’t any gay superheroes, we just like to accommodate all the a-holes that run this world and play it safe. Pathetic.
jwrappaport
I don’t like hurt feelings any more than the next guy, but come on – it is emphatically not the job of filmmakers to “reflect the true fabric of our society.” What a preposterous claim by people who clearly have never labored in the arts – or at least those who have never thought critically about their work.
The filmmakers’ job, aside from understandably seeking to reap a financial return, is to actualize the artistic impulses of those involved in the creation of the film. Full stop. It is not their job to make people feel good. It is not their job to paper over ugliness in our society. And it is certainly not their job to ensure that every minority group (us included) is represented and at that, represented in a manner in which they deem appropriate.
One of the things I loved Sesame Street for is how humane it was. Every color of the rainbow was represented, and what was more is that everyone lived and played together in peace. Conflicts were always resolved and hurt feelings mended. This is not what I want to see when I go to the movies. I don’t exactly want to see Birth of a Nation, but we’re not even close to that.
Tony G
Sounds like somebody is upset they didn’t get invited to the right parties.
Mikah
Hetero Hollywood.I’ve seen enough hetero-centric mainstream flicks for one lifetime.
michael mellor
Hollywood is very anti-gay. Bigots run it.
BJ McFrisky
GLAAD has shown that it believes pretty much everything regarding gays is a failure except for GLAAD.
Mezaien
@JAWIWA: I was thinking the same thing? after all he is ass hole.
Queer4Life
There is this thing called crowd funding… maybe if you want a queer film stop looking to the big studios and make it yourself. I have given up on Hollywood, most of the films it makes are crap anyway. Seriously I like great queer films as much as the next guy but why are we still looking to the closet cases in hollywood?