Amy Watson
Research expert covering news and publishing
LGBTQ media in Canada - statistics & facts
Whilst U.S. and European cities like San Francisco and Amsterdam have long been known as some of the friendliest or most welcoming cities for the LGBT community, sometimes forgotten is the capital of Canada’s Ontario province, Toronto. The city is often lauded as one of the best in the world for LGBT culture and also has a vibrant LGBT nightlife scene as well as several annual media events. The Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival celebrates LGBT movies from Canadian and international filmmakers alike, and meetup.com boasts a range of regular social gatherings for those who are part of or seeking to explore Toronto’s LGBT community.
LGBT adults in Canada are active media consumers, and online media sources are particularly popular. A study showed that 62 percent of surveyed male LGBT consumers and 54 percent of LGBT women accessed an LGBT-themed website or blog in the last month, and such sites were even more popular among respondents identifying as gender expansive or transgender. Consumption varies a little across generations, with more Millennial and Gen X consumers watching LGBT-inclusive TV shows than Baby Boomers, though the latter were more likely to have attended a film festival.
Media centered around LGBT issues and topics is on the increase. Never before has there been such a wealth of sources for consumers to enjoy., ranging from blogs and magazines to LGBTQ YouTube influencers with millions of subscribers. Even LGBT print book sales have increased, and the majority of LGBT consumes foresee the availability of local LGBT newspapers remaining the same over the next decade.
Ultimately though, it is social media which commands the most interest and popularity among LGBT adults. Whilst less than 30 percent of male, female and gender expansive/transgender consumers read national magazines, listen to the radio or watch LGBT-themed TV, more than 60 percent regularly use Facebook and YouTube. Unsurprisingly, Snapchat is more popular among younger consumers than older generations, but the key takeaway is that regardless of age, preference or sexual orientation, social networking is the main thing on most media consumer’s minds.
LGBT adults in Canada are active media consumers, and online media sources are particularly popular. A study showed that 62 percent of surveyed male LGBT consumers and 54 percent of LGBT women accessed an LGBT-themed website or blog in the last month, and such sites were even more popular among respondents identifying as gender expansive or transgender. Consumption varies a little across generations, with more Millennial and Gen X consumers watching LGBT-inclusive TV shows than Baby Boomers, though the latter were more likely to have attended a film festival.
Media centered around LGBT issues and topics is on the increase. Never before has there been such a wealth of sources for consumers to enjoy., ranging from blogs and magazines to LGBTQ YouTube influencers with millions of subscribers. Even LGBT print book sales have increased, and the majority of LGBT consumes foresee the availability of local LGBT newspapers remaining the same over the next decade.
Ultimately though, it is social media which commands the most interest and popularity among LGBT adults. Whilst less than 30 percent of male, female and gender expansive/transgender consumers read national magazines, listen to the radio or watch LGBT-themed TV, more than 60 percent regularly use Facebook and YouTube. Unsurprisingly, Snapchat is more popular among younger consumers than older generations, but the key takeaway is that regardless of age, preference or sexual orientation, social networking is the main thing on most media consumer’s minds.
