The Frequency of LGBT Cops in post 1980s TV shows
With the reveal of Disney’s new first LGBT character, I decided to take a look at the frequency of LGBT law enforcement. This is my first post where I will be focusing on TV Shows aired after 1980. Next I will do movies. I also added in a section about LGBT criminals and background characters. Post inspired by @closet-keys.
Here is my spreadsheet, it is color coded, I hope you like it.
A sample size of cop shows that specifically have an ensemble/recurring cast, mainly procedural shows, post 1980. This includes all genres. I tried to focus on shows specifically starring law enforcement but since I have seen literally none of these I can not be too sure.
I chose entirely random shows from there. I looked up multiple lists and compared the most popular ones. Most are American but some are British. I tried to avoid period pieces as I believed those would skew the data.
To gather data I mainly would look up the show followed by “LGBT” on Google. Sounds silly but it was surprisingly effective. Every stray background character holding hands with someone of the same sex would bring up a Buzzfeed article. If that brought nothing up, I then manually checked the Wikipedia. If there was nothing again I tried to type various buzzwords in. I read way too many poorly written articles from reactionaries for this sheet. :(.
I also checked these websites:
This list of LGBT characters on Wikipedia
This list of poorly treated lesbians in TV
Not perfect, I know, but I did the best I could for all 79 shows listed. If I missed any LGBT characters please let me know.
Of the 79 shows I looked in to, 30 of them had LGBT cops. That is 38%. Most of these cops were bisexual cis women (who usually die on screen, brutally). Next runner up were gay cis men cops. A few cis lesbians. None of them were trans.
19 of the 79 shows included LGBT “criminals” (I use that term loosely). Most of them were jealous ex lovers. Most of the shows on the list had criminal LGBT characters more than once. Most of them died as well.
13 of the 79 shows had LGBT representation that was not criminal or law enforcement. This included family members of the main cast, various background characters, and murder victims. Again, usually dead.
56 of the 79 shows had SOME FORM of LGBT representation, whether that be criminal, law enforcement, or background character. Only 23 of the 79 shows had no form of representation whatsoever.
There’s too many LGBT cops in TV shows. We don’t like cops and we don’t like being portrayed as cops, especially as friends of cops. I think it is extremely offensive that cis straight showrunners continue to make this type of character archetype.