Trending
- ALOK Talks Trans Joy, Social Media Safety and the Absurdity of Societal Hatred in New Comedy Special, Documentary
- ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 Queens Sleigh Through the Big Apple with Holiday Cheer and a Glamorous Premiere! See the Photos!
- Queer Love and Joy: Erin and Zooey Get Married
- The GLAAD Wrap: “Mufasa: The Lion King” in Theaters, Trailers for “The Traitors,” “XO, Kitty” and “Dungeons and Drag Queens,” New Music by The Velveteers and More!
- Congress Sends National Defense Authorization Act With Dangerous Anti-Transgender Provision to President Biden’s Desk
- WATCH: Countess Luann Shares Love for LGBTQ Community; Talks New Tour
- Audible Drops LGBTQ Inclusive ‘Origins’ Music Storytelling Series with Troye Sivan, Victoria Monét, Kali Uchis, and More
- Dangerous Provision in Federal Defense Bill Seeks to Discriminate Against Military Families Raising Trans Youth
Where We Are on TV 2023-2024
According to Neilson data from 2022, Middle East/North African (MENA) characters represent only 2.5 percent of characters across broadcast, cable and streaming. According to the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, the majority of those characters represent harmful stereotypes of Middle Eastern people, which can lead to disinformation and discrimination.
As with last year, there is only one LGBTQ MENA character on primetime scripted broadcast, Lucy Tara on NCIS: Hawai’i.
Cable counts three MENA characters out of all 77 LGBTQ characters, representing four percent. This is a decrease from last year’s seven characters (five percent). The characters represented on cable include vampires Armand on AMC’s Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Nandor on FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, as well as college student Zaara on the final season of Freeform’s grown-ish.
On scripted original streaming programming there are nine (three percent) MENA characters, a decrease of three characters, but the same percent as last year. Highlights include lesbian character Mabel on Apple TV+’s period drama The Buccaneers, bisexual teen Jay on Netflix comedy Big Mouth, recurring characters Mr. Farouk and Sahar on Netflix’s Heartstopper, Reese on Paramount+’s SkyMed, and more.
Of all 468 characters counted across all three platforms, 13 (three percent) are MENA. This is a decrease of seven characters year over year, but an equal percentage.
Representation of MENA LGBTQ Characters
- Of the 64 LGBTQ characters counted on the five broadcast networks, two percent (one) are MENA.
- Of the 77 LGBTQ characters counted on cable networks, four percent (three) are MENA.
- Of the 327 LGBTQ characters counted on eight streaming services, three percent (nine) are MENA.
- Of the 468 LGBTQ characters counted on all platforms, three percent (13) are MENA.
No Data Found
Table of Contents
Share this
View Past Years’ Reports
MEASURE THE MOVEMENT
Your gift allows us to track the impact of our work, helping us better understand the state of acceptance and address the gaps with advocacy — like pushing for more trans representation in movies.
More Publications from GLAAD
In 2013, GLAAD launched its first Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) to measure lesbian, gay, bisexual,…
Introduction from Sarah Kate Ellis Since 2020, GLAAD, in partnership with the Gilead COMPASS initiative,…
Una guía detallada en español sobre las normas de los medios de comunicación para una cobertura más precisa y respetuosa de la comunidad trans en el periodismo.
The GLAAD Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) maps the quantity, quality and diversity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) characters in films released by seven major motion picture studios during the 2021 calendar year. GLAAD researched films release by Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Warner