Frankie Grande, Peppermint and other GLAAD board members have written an open letter regarding the inclusivity of reality TV. (Mylo Butler/x2 Productions for GLAAD)
Frankie Grande and Peppermint have written an urgent letter urging casting directors to note their “responsibility” to make reality TV more “inclusive”.
Grande, Peppermint and other GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) board members – including Alan Cumming, Elliot Page, Bob The Drag Queen, Michelle Visage, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Chrishell Stause and more – signed the open letter to encourage those behind the scenes of reality shows to include diverse LGBTQ+ cast members and capture authentic queer stories.
Grande said, “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…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.”
Peppermint, who rose to fame on season nine of RuPaul’s Drag Race, added that “an industry wide change” is necessary, and goes beyond the realm of “casting”.
“I’ll use my experience on The Traitors as an example…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 said. “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.”
The LGBTQ+ media advocacy organisation says that LGBTQ+ representation “in reality television remains stagnated”, adding that “too many shows still rely on a single LGBTQ cast member or a single storyline to represent an entire community — an approach that is outdated and unacceptable”.
As per Gallup, 9.3 per cent of adults in the US identify as LGBTQ+, which includes an ever-growing 23 per cent of Gen Z viewers.
“LGBTQ people aren’t simply consuming media—they are shaping it. Reality TV must evolve to reflect the full spectrum of LGBTQ identities and experiences,” the letter read.
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