Realscreen » Archive » GLAAD rates film studios on political donations and public advocacy
LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD has announced that it is adding additional criteria to its annual Studio Accountability Index, a study that analyzes LGBTQ representation in the releases of eight major movie studio distributors.
Distributors included in the annual report are Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, STX Films, United Artists Releasing, Universal Pictures, The Walt Disney Studios and Warner Bros. The report assigns ratings to each studio based on quantity, quality, and LGBTQ diversity. representation in his films during the previous calendar year.
The 10th Annual Studio Responsibility Index will be released in the summer of 2022 with new sections documenting:
- donations to anti-LGBTQ elected officials, election candidates, and anti-LGBTQ political action committees of a film studio and parent company
- public advocacy efforts of a movie studio or parent company around pro-LGBTQ or anti-LGBTQ legislation
- LGBTQ-inclusive advertisements or other public communications, especially outside of Pride Month
- actions taken to support LGBTQ-inclusive titles from an international studio
These new topics will be considered part of the ratings GLAAD assigns to studios, and GLAAD will track and report on these topics annually.
The news comes after GLAAD joined other LGBTQ advocates in calling on The Walt Disney Company to take action against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would limit discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, K-3. the state House of Representatives passed the bill, Disney CEO Bob Chapek issued a statement apologizing for not being a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights, proclaiming Disney’s support for advocacy groups fighting similar legislation in other states and announcing a pause on political donations in the State of Florida from its society as it creates a new framework for political finance.
“No company that chooses silence over alliance should receive high scores from LGBTQ organizations as nearly 200 anti-LGBTQ bills advance in states across the country, often targeting transgender youth. Companies must be held accountable for funding politicians who harm LGBTQ people, including their own employees, and for inaction on legislation they can help defeat,” said GLAAD President and CEO , Sarah Kate Ellis, in a press release.
“Today, GLAAD advances this in the entertainment industry, and GLAAD will lead efforts to create similar accountability across industries. LGBTQ inclusion isn’t just what happens on screen. The Walt Disney Company and other media companies must take immediate action in Florida and other states. Entertainment and media companies cannot profit from our stories and remain silent about laws that discriminate against us.
The Walt Disney Company also joined more than 170 businesses in a campaign letter for freedom for all Americans and human rights opposing the state’s anti-LGBTQ legislation.
