Canadian media company Pink Triangle Press has launched an initiative to identify gaps and systemic barriers for LGBTQ2S+ professionals working in Canada’s film, television, streaming and gaming sectors.

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) will support the research, currently titled as the “Pink Papers,” with the first of a number of planned reports expected to include an analysis of how the LGBTQ2S+ community has been represented in Canadian content in 2023.

The reports are intended to set a baseline to track progress in representation over time, with the editorial team at Pink Triangle Press publication Xtra Magazine set to contribute.

The first Pink Paper is slated to be published in 2024 and will cover both the English and French markets in Canada.

Pink Triangle Press is billed as one of the longest-publishing LGBTQ2S+ media groups in the world, and was founded in 1971.

“This research data, informed by the insights of professionals in the industry, will animate important conversations within the various screen industries in this country about LGBTQ2S+ representation and opportunities,” said David Walberg, executive director of Pink Triangle Press, in a statement.

“We are initiating this discussion at a pivotal moment — a time where there is a lot of public ugliness directed toward the LGBTQ2S+ community. Queer and trans people have often been maligned in screen representation historically, so it’s important to celebrate and encourage more complex narratives,” Walberg continued.

“The Canada Media Fund supports the creation of more inclusive stories for all audiovisual media platforms. We still have a lot of work to do to shine a bright light on more queer storytellers,” added Mathieu Chantelois, EVP of marketing and public affairs at the CMF. “On a personal note, as a gay dad of two toddlers, I want my kids to grow up seeing families like ours and other LGBTQ2S+ people represented constructively and credibly on our screens.”

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