The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media conducted a study to establish benchmark measures for the percentage of protagonists who are women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and disabled in family films. A content analysis was conducted on the 100 top-grossing animated and nonanimated family films (rated G, PG, PG-13) from 2007 to 2017.

Key Findings

  • Male leads outnumber female leads 2:1, although this has improved slightly in the last decade.
  • Family films with female leads closed the gap in domestic box-office revenue over the past decade and now earn more than family films with male leads.
  • When it comes to race, white leads outnumber leads of color 4:1.
  • Box-office revenue for family films with leads of color and racially diverse co-leading casts have caught up with and surpassed family films with white leads.
  • Fewer than 1.0% of family films feature a LGBTQIA+ lead, and we have seen no progress in the past decade. 
  • Fewer than 1.0% of family films feature a lead with a disability, and this has not improved in the past decade.

Recommendations

  • Diversify hiring in film production.
  • Commit distribution and marketing resources equally.
  • Tell stories that reflect the real world.