By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 5/22/26 – A coalition of more than 40 civil rights, LGBTQ+, media freedom, and advocacy organizations has formally opposed a proposal tied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that could add warning labels or revised television ratings for programming featuring LGBTQ characters, storylines, or themes.
The joint filing, submitted May 22, was led by organizations including GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG National, Advocates for Trans Equality, and the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund.
The public comment responds to an FCC notice issued on April 22 requesting feedback about whether television ratings should include additional advisories related to “transgender and gender non-binary programming” or the discussion of “gender identity themes” in television content.
The organizations argued that singling out LGBTQ-inclusive programming for special labels would unfairly target a marginalized community and could open the door to censorship.
In the filing, the coalition stated that LGBTQ people, including transgender and nonbinary individuals, deserve to see themselves represented in television and media. The groups also emphasized that parents and guardians, rather than government agencies, should decide what content is appropriate for their children.
The organizations further contended that warning labels focused specifically on LGBTQ identities would not meaningfully help viewers make informed choices. Instead, they argued such labels would stigmatize LGBTQ representation and reinforce political efforts aimed at limiting visibility for LGBTQ people in public life.
Among the organizations signing the filing were PEN America, Color Of Change, Lambda Legal, The Trevor Project, National Hispanic Media Coalition, the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, Equality California, AIDS United, and several additional advocacy groups.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said LGBTQ stories should continue to be told openly and warned against the government using regulatory pressure to marginalize LGBTQ communities.
Brian Dittmeier of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund argued the current television ratings system is already widely understood by families and viewers, while PFLAG National Vice President Diego Sanchez said families with transgender loved ones are already feeling the effects of broader political debates surrounding LGBTQ rights.
The FCC notice concerns the Television Oversight Monitoring Board (TVOMB), an industry-led body established in 1998 that oversees the TV ratings system used across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. The ratings system works alongside the V-Chip technology included in modern televisions, allowing viewers to block content based on ratings categories.
Critics of the proposal say it remains unclear how terms such as “gender identity themes” would be defined or applied in practice, including whether they could potentially affect programming featuring gay, lesbian, or bisexual characters.
The FCC is accepting reply comments on the proposal through June 22, 2026.
For more information or to submit comments, visit GLAAD’s FCC information page.
