A report on Hollywood films released
Tuesday found only seven major studio films last year included
gay characters essential to the film's
plot.
GLAAD's Studio
Responsibility Index (SRI) “maps the quantity, quality and
diversity of images of LGBT people in films released by the seven
largest motion picture studios during the 2013 calendar year.”
Seventeen of Hollywood's 102 titles
included minor characters identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual.
“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characters in mainstream film, in addition to the outdated humor and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,” GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis said in
announcing the report's findings. “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.”
Two studios, Paramount and Warner
Brothers, received “failing” grades, while 20th
Century Fox, Lionsgate, Universal Pictures and Walt Disney Studios
received “adequate” grades.
Sony Columbia's film Mortal
Instruments: City of Bones helped the studio receive a “good”
grade.
The report found only 7 films pass the
group's “Vito Russo Test” named after one of its co-founders.
To pass the test, characters cannot be
solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender
identity and must be “tied into the plot in such a way that their
removal would have a significant effect.”