THE MONTH of June calls for “Pride Month,” a period of celebration and reflection for the LGBTQ+[1] community. A decade or two prior to today, the idea of achieving widespread acceptance from the rest of the world was an inconceivable dream for the LGBTQ+ community. The societal shift from antagonism to tolerance and finally acceptance towards queers in the West did not occur overnight but was driven by consistent activism. This evolution in society’s perception of the LGBTQ+ community is shown by the increase in number and variety of queer content. Although representation should always be celebrated, growth within the queer media industry has induced harmful side effects such as sensationalism and corporate greed.

Normalization over sensationalism

   The U.S. Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)’s Studio Responsibility Index (SRI) analyzes films from eight major studios in the United States[2]. The index reported a consistent annual increase in queer representation since its establishment in 2013, with its most recent 2021 report finding that 22.7% of all films contained queer characters—a 4.1% increase from the previous year. The 22.7% inclusivity rate compared to the mere 7.1% of LGBTQ+ Americans[4] reflects the surge of mainstream appeal, regardless of one’s sexual orientation. Statistics have shown that queer identity has broken through the categorical perception of “atypical,” and while sensationalism may have attained the initial attention of the public, it now poses a threat to achieving normalization.

   Sensationalism in queer content is the excessive display of provocative themes and scenes such as sex, nudity, and violence amongst LGBTQ+ characters. When carefully presented, explicitness portrayed through sensationalism may aid the narrative and artistic direction of a film or television program. The outcome of such explicitness, however, is unpredictable with factors such as production and poor writing coming into play. Misrepresentation leads to misinterpretation, which establishes stereotypes regarding queer identity. This is observed within several films and television programs that conform to “reversed” gender roles where queer men are more feminine and queer women act more masculine, when in fact, a vast majority of queer people do not fall into either of the two categories. Sexual orientation does not define one’s personality or identity, and Western society has grown enough as a community to portray people as people, not as heterosexuals or homosexuals. Though highly debatable, Home Box Office (HBO)’s hit drama series Euphoria (2019~) may be considered an example of queer representation done right. Several of its explicit scenes offer realism to the series, maintaining a delicate balance between sensationalism and grit. Moreover, sexual orientation is hardly the central theme despite several characters including the protagonist identifying as LGBTQ+, which is exactly how queer people should be portrayed—regular people, not token characters that boost inclusivity.

Pressing issues

   Queer content has been linked to profit by attracting a larger scale of audience members. According to a 2020 study on LGBTQ+ inclusion, 68% of its respondents preferred purchasing from companies with LGBTQ+ inclusive advertisements[5][6]. Such statistics incentivize companies to develop more queer content, and this profit-driven mindset has twisted the true purpose of representation in media. Large production companies see value in queer inclusivity, as long as queer characters fit their standard mold: white and male. GLAAD’s 2020 SRI reported a decrease in queer characters of color from the previous year with 66% of queer characters being white. The issue of diversity is evident in the hundreds of films released since the 2010s. Female queer characters also lacked representation; lesbians appeared in 36% of queer-inclusive films compared to gay men appearing in 68%[7]. And whilst low representation is prevalent, the hyper-sexualization of queer women can be considered a greater issue. The highly acclaimed film Blue is the Warmest Color (2013) was applauded for its intimate portrayal of queer romance, winning the Palme d'Or[8] at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite its critical success, the film received backlash for its “fetishization” of queer women with a ten-minute-long sex scene entirely choreographed by its straight male director.

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   A rise of inclusivity in the Western media industry has undoubtedly improved public perception of the LGBTQ+ community, but the current conditions for queer people remain flawed. The progress of representation should not conclude with a specific kind of “queer person.” Companies should take intersectionality into account and strive for diversity within the spectrum of “LGBTQ+.” Moreover, society should continue to hold these companies accountable for the media they produce because the time for passive acceptance is over.

[1] LGBTQ+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more

[2] The film studios include Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, STX Films, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Brothers.

[3] Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

[4] Gallup

[5] Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

[6] Procter & Gamble

[7] Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

[8] Palme d'Or: The highest prize in the Cannes Film Festival