Study finds LGBTQ characters hit record high on network TV

"Pose" and "Batwoman" are among the shows contributing to a surge in LGBTQ and gender inclusiveness on television, according to a new study by the advocacy group GLAAD.

The percentage of regularly seen LGBTQ characters on prime-time broadcast TV this season reached an all-time high of 10.2 per cent, or 90 out of a total of 879 characters, according to the study released Thursday.

That topped last year's record of 8.8 per cent and achieved the 10 per cent goal that GLAAD had set for the networks by 2020.

"Last year, GLAAD called on the television industry to increase the number of LGBTQ characters and more accurately reflect the world we live in, and they responded by exceeding this challenge," Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD president and CEO, said in a statement.

"At a time when the cultural climate is growing increasingly divisive, increased representation of LGBTQ stories and characters on television is especially critical to advance LGBTQ acceptance."
Other findings contained in the report: