Where We Are on TV 2023-2024

Latine representation has consistently under indexed compared to the actual Latine population of this country. Furthermore, its importance cannot be overstated: the U.S. Government Accountability Project study in 2021 reported that lack of media representation of the Latine community has a direct correlation to stereotypes and violence. A Netflix and GLAAD survey further showed that representing specifically LGBTQ Latine people helps bolster understanding and acceptance from non-LGBTQ people. This year, Latine representation on TV decreased significantly on all platforms, which is highly worrisome.

Of the 64 LGBTQ characters counted on primetime scripted broadcast, only four characters (six percent) are Latine, a decrease of two percent from the previous study. Of those four characters, none are leads, and only two of them are series regulars: Serena on CSI: Vegas, and Antonio on The Spencer Sisters. ABC, FOX, and NBC all do not count a single LGBTQ Latine character in their lineup.

On primetime scripted cable, five (seven percent) of the 77 LGBTQ characters are Latine. This is a large decrease from the 11 percent counted last year, with series cancellations of shows like The Owl House and The L Word: Generation Q leading to this decline. The five characters counted on cable include Jackie, the lead of Starz drama Hightown, Gael and Lucia on Freeform’s Good Trouble, Guillermo on vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, and Richie from comedy Minx. Four out of five of those characters are on series that will not return, and the fifth, What We Do in the Shadows, has confirmed that its next season will be its last. It is essential that cable orders new series with Latine LGBTQ characters or there may be a complete lack of LGBTQ Latine representation on cable.

Of the 327 LGBTQ characters counted on scripted streaming originals, 31 (ten percent) of them are Latine. Though this is the highest percentage of all three platforms, it falls far beneath the 17 percent counted last year. Several shows highlighted in the previous report including A League of Their Own, Madre hay Solo Dos, Blockbuster, and Love, Victor, were ended or canceled, leaving a large gap of Latine representation. Highlights of Latine representation on streaming include Jorge on the final season of Amazon’s With Love, Carlos on the final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Jim on the final season of Our Flag Means Death, Simon on the final season of Young Royals, and Adira on the final season of Star Trek Discovery. Again, none of the listed characters will return next year, so new programming must be ordered. There are still Latine characters on shows that have not been canceled such as Acalupco, Only Murders in the Building, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, Nothing to See Here, and more, but this remains a large void that needs to be filled.

There are 468 LGBTQ characters counted across all three platforms. Of them, 40 (nine percent) are Latine, a decrease of five percentage points from last year’s 14 percent. According to the 2021 MPA THEME report, the Hispanic/Latine population regularly over-indexes in streaming views, so if these studios want to keep their loyal audiences, this has to be remedied.