Ryan Murphy: Super Producer on why LGBTQ+ Representation is Vital

Leading Hollywood producer Murphy and his team have changed the face of LGBTQ+ representation on TV and streaming. Their recent work  has received award nominations.  “I was so thrilled this morning when GLAAD announced their annual awards nominees for 2020, and my company received a record six nominations,” he wrote on his Instagram.  The nominations were for The Prom, Boys in the Band, Ratched, Hollywood, Circus of Books on Netflix globally and 9-1-1: Lone Star which aired on Sky Witness in the UK.

“I started off in this business exactly 25 years ago,” Murphy added. “At that time in the mid-90s I was told I couldn’t even have an LGBTQ character represented in my work. Too controversial, it might turn off advertisers, etc.” A notable low-point of that time was when he was warned that having a heterosexual female character (Mary Cherry in Popular) wearing a fake fur coat was “just too gay.” As a champion of change, Ryan kept going. “I persisted and fought and had the support of so many allies and wow have things changed. In the past year alone, my company has not only created content that has shined a spotlight on hundreds of LGBTQ characters, but we have employed hundreds of out LGBTQ actors; who as little as five years ago would probably have been advised that being authentically who they were meant no more jobs (and thus no rent or food or health insurance).”

“I truly believe this work is changing lives, and saving lives” he said adding  “If you can see it, you can be it.”