Featured News
Who actually shows up in the ads you watch? We checked two decades of Cannes Lions winners. The answer on race surprised us — characters of color doubled to 51.5%. The answer on disability and LGBTQIA+ representation didn’t: both still under 4%, after twenty years of trying. Read the full report.
Welcome to our website!
I created this research Institute 20 years ago because when I first saw kids’ shows and movies through my toddler daughter’s eyes, I was stunned by the lack of female characters and diversity. Back in 2004, only 11% of family films had female leads. Our latest data show we’ve reached gender parity for leads in family films and kids’ TV in the U.S.
But urgent attention is needed for race and ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, older characters, diverse body types, and disability representation. My institute works with creatives all over the world to enhance on-screen diversity and ensure nuanced portrayals.
There’s a lot of inequity in the world, but we have the power to fix representation in media overnight. Tomorrow, take a look at your projects and make sure they reflect the real world.
No more missed opportunities! And give us a shout – we’re here to help!
Spotlight
Online harassment, deepfakes, and data misuse don’t hit everyone equally — they disproportionately target women, girls, and marginalized communities. Our new toolkit gives writers and showrunners research-backed guidance for depicting phishing, non-consensual intimate imagery, and cybersecurity careers with accuracy instead of cliché. Because how film and TV show who’s a threat and who’s a protector online shapes how audiences respond in real life.
