It’s time for reality television to get a reality check when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation, according to “Big Brother” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” stars Frankie Grande and Peppermint.
The reality TV icons teamed up with GLAAD to pen an open letter to casting directors, producers, creatives and other innovators on Wednesday, urging the genre to showcase the queer community more authentically and at a rate that more closely reflects its prominence in American society.
“I think there needs to be an industry-wide change, not just casting. I’ll use my experience on ‘The Traitors’ as an example,” Peppermint shared. “I wanted so desperately to be able to show the rest of the world, the rest of the audience, the rest of the viewership that trans people are just like anybody else. And I think that really does reflect how a lot of trans people feel right now.”
“I really would love for producers and people who create these shows to give people the opportunity to see the beauty in the relationships that trans people form,” she continued. “It’s all about managing relationships, and trans people deserve to be a part of the story. The world needs to see that. And I think reality TV is a great place to do it.”
“It’s the responsibility of casting directors, producers to make sure that there is inclusivity within our community represented on the show. Otherwise, we’re a monolith. Otherwise, I am representing the entire queer community,” Grande said. “There is a formula that has been in place for decades that is no longer working for our community. It is no longer representing the world and the people that are watching your shows.”
Indeed, according to GLAAD’s listed gallup polling, 9.3% of American adults identify as LGBTQ — including 23% of Gen Z — yet it is not uncommon to see reality shows rely on one sole member of the community to represent every single letter. (However, it is worth noting that trend has mildly shifted in the right direction since the early 2000s.)
But in addition to casting more queer folks, this call to action presents “an opportunity to change the narrative and show the world that LGBTQ people are more than just their struggles — they are full, complex individuals with unique stories to tell,” GLAAD said in a statement provided to TheWrap.
Grande and Peppermint’s letter concluded: “Let’s move beyond tokenism and commit to casting LGBTQ people in numbers that truly reflect our community.” They particularly emphasized the inclusion of transgender, nonbinary and people of color. “Let’s use the power of reality TV to make the world a more accepting, understanding and real place. Together, we can create a future where everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, feels seen, heard and valued on the reality TV screen.”
The letter was co-signed by fellow queer reality TV alumni and allies like Alan Cumming, Michelle Buteau, Bob the Drag Queen, Chrishell Stause, Taylor Hale, Monét X Change, Nicole Byer, Rachel Reilly, Britney Haynes, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Ilana Glazer, Ts Madison, Meredith Marks, Elliot Page, Phaedra Parks, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Zeke Thomas, Andie Vanacore, Peter Weber, Shereé Whitfield, Amrit Kapai, Braunwyn Spinner, Christian Siriano, Derrick Levasseur, Greg Mathis Jr., Elliott Cooper, Jazz Jennings, Margaret Josephs, Meghan King, Nicole Franzel, Paulie Calafiore, Bevy Smith, Zeke Smith, Racquel Chevremont, Xavier Prather and GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
Read the letter in full here.
