On August 4, GLAAD is co-hosting two panels about the future of LGBTQ inclusion on TV at the Television Critics Association’s Summer 2017 Press Tour. Panelists confirmed include actors and creatives such as Laverne Cox, Wilson Cruz, and Jill Soloway, along with GLAAD’s own Nick Adams and Megan Townsend.
The Television Critics Association (TCA) represents more than 200 professional journalists who cover television for publications across the United States and Canada. The TCA exists to serve its membership of full-time TV critics, most of whom do not live near the entertainment capitals of Los Angeles and New York. The twice-yearly TCA press tour represents an unparalleled opportunity for members to gain access to the people who make television.
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GLAAD AND THE FUTURE OF LGBTQ INCLUSION ON TV (1:30 – 3PM, Friday August 4, 2017)
1:30 pm: LESBIAN, GAY, AND BISEXUAL TRENDS ON TV TODAY PANEL*
GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, will present the latest research on the number of lesbian, gay, and bisexual characters on scripted TV, as well as trends in storylines and character development. While the 2016-17 television season saw an uptick in the overall number of LGBTQ characters, the majority of those characters are male and white. GLAAD will be joined by actors and creatives to tackle hot button issues such as: LGBTQ characters of color, bisexual representation, the 62 gay and bi women characters killed off in the past two years, and the addition of LGBTQ content in children’s programming.
PANELISTS TO INCLUDE:
Megan Townsend, GLAAD Director of Entertainment Research & Analysis
Wilson Cruz, “13 Reasons Why”, “Star Trek: Discovery”
Stephanie Beatriz, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” "Danger & Eggs"
Lena Waithe, “Master of None”
Pete Nowalk, creator of "How to Get Away with Murder"
Emily Andras, executive producer of “Wynonna Earp”
2:15 pm: TRANSGENDER TRENDS ON TV TODAY PANEL
At the start of last fall's TV season, GLAAD predicted there could be 16 transgender characters out of 895 scripted characters on TV. As of today, there are only 11 transgender characters. GLAAD, trans actors, and creatives will discuss the current state of being trans in America and why trans stories on TV are so critically important to moving our culture forward. They will also discuss topics including best practices for casting trans roles authentically, the underrepresentation of trans men, tropes and clichés to avoid, and trans storylines that elicited negative headlines and responses from viewers.
PANELISTS TO INCLUDE:
Nick Adams, Director of Transgender Media & Representation, GLAAD
Jill Soloway, creator of “Transparent” and “I Love Dick”
Laverne Cox, “Orange Is the New Black” and “Doubt”
Alexandra Billings, “Transparent” and “How to Get Away with Murder”
Shadi Petosky, creator of Amazon’s “Danger & Eggs”
Rhys Ernst, Producer on “Transparent” and director of the season 4 finale
The TCA’s Summer 2017 Press tour runs from July 25 to August 9, taking place at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. For more information, visit tvcritics.org.