Why does every movie and show have to have a gay character now?

There are a lot of happy characters on tv and series.

I don't take issue with the amount of gay characters present in media, but I do think that gay characters are over-represented in scenarios where being stereo-typically gay is their only personality trait. This has changed, but not by much, with way more stereotyping of gay characters than mould-breaking.

Everything in this country is about money. The wider the demographics, the more dollars in ad revenue.

Too many token characters in tv shows these days.

Maybe there is an agenda to it. Maybe it's because it does bother people and makes them feel uncomfortable (not saying it bothers you or makes you feel uncomfortable, but it certainly does others). People are followers who are influenced in all sorts of ways and maybe you see it so often because the filmmakers believe that if they show straight characters on screen who are accepting and welcoming that people in real life may start to rethink their beliefs. Like you I work with a couple gay people who I've become friends with. The me of 15 years ago or so probably wouldn't have pictured myself grabbing a beer with a gay co-worker talking about superhero movies but things change and people grow. I'm in my mid-40s and I think for younger generations this is much more normal and they are more accepting but that doesn't mean there isn't work to be done.

You mentioned you have gay friends so when you see gay characters in as many films as you do today, instead of asking why it seems to happen so often, try to reframe your thoughts and ask what that positive representation of gay people in cinema must mean to those friends.

It seems to happen much more on tv than movies, but you are right. Most tv shows in the last couple years have a gay character. While it doesn't offend me, it seems to be pandering to the progressive movement, which is their choice, but it's there. I notice hyper diverse casts too. A lot of shows featuring groups of people perfectly balanced from all races and walks of life. This is not a reflection of real life. It just keeps the snowflake whistleblowers and their cancel culture ideology bullshit away from their show.

I personally can't stand it, particularly when they make the Token Gay essential to the cast, and show off how in love he or she is towards their bed buddy, or paint them as a victim of society. Completely turns me off to every show they have that dog shit in. I liked it better when we either had no gays in tv shows/movies, we saw them briefly in the background, they were the source of some joke or other, or they were a minor irritant to get rid of.

Someone should tell these idiots writing the tv shows and movies of today that ticking off Diversity Boxes to show off how "inclusive" they are, is not an acceptable excuse for character development; and it hinders whatever story they're trying to tell, or not tell, as is the case with a lot of this SJW propaganda BS.

I did my own study of this, and it turns out, the real percentage of gays in America is roughly 3.5% of the US population, and that's being generous. (Transexuals make up 0.1% making them even rarer). They all only make up a very tiny portion of the country. That means [roughly] only 9 million people out of 320 million people (the total US Population as of this writing) identify as gay. These 9 million are scattered across the US, and are concentrated in "gay havens" which typically are in cities. Hollywood (we're talking everyone in the American movie-making industry here, not the actual town) has a gay population of roughly 30% out of everyone working there.

It's just something to think about.

I think that you'll find that the percentage of homosexuals in the arts community is much higher in the general public. Whether they are out or not. It might just be that writers, directors, producers and such want to represent themselves and their friends. Just think at how many actors/actresses are gay.