On November 6, 2025, two significant stories unfolded that reflect the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and representation in the United States—one in the halls of Michigan’s state legislature, and the other on the screens of millions of Americans tuning in to prime-time television. Both stories, though different in scope and medium, highlight the progress, setbacks, and persistent challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community as the nation navigates a shifting legal and cultural landscape.
In Michigan, State Senator Jeremy Moss, notably the state’s first openly gay senator, introduced a resolution in the Senate aimed at removing Michigan’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. According to Michigan Advance, Moss’s proposal directly targets Article 1 of the state’s Constitution, which currently defines marriage exclusively as “the union of one man and one woman in marriage.” The resolution also seeks to strip gendered language from sections governing estates between spouses, bringing the document in line with the realities and values of contemporary Michigan.
“Our constitution should reflect the values of our state, and same-sex couples should be granted the same protections as heterosexual couples,” Moss stated in a press release issued from his Bloomfield Township office. The timing of Moss’s initiative is hardly accidental. The U.S. Supreme Court was scheduled to consider, on November 7, 2025, whether to review a case that could potentially overturn Obergefell v. Hodges—the landmark 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The possibility of the Court revisiting (and possibly undoing) Obergefell has sent ripples of concern through LGBTQ+ communities and their allies.
“Even a decade after the landmark marriage equality decision, the LGBTQ+ community still faces increasingly hostile attacks, including a renewed political movement to re-ban same-sex marriage,” Moss emphasized in his statement. “This effort will soon reach the Supreme Court for review. Regardless of the outcome of Court action, it’s well past time to remove the discriminatory and, as of now, unconstitutional marriage ban language in our state’s constitution.”
The stakes could not be higher. If the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell, same-sex marriage would again become illegal in Michigan, reverting the state to its pre-2015 legal landscape. However, the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act would still require Michigan to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, as well as those conducted before any potential reversal. This patchwork of protections, though, offers little comfort to couples seeking certainty and equality under Michigan law.
Attorney General Dana Nessel, herself a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, underscored the importance of safeguarding marriage equality in the state. “In the 10 years since marriage equality became the law of the land, one thing has become abundantly clear: granting same-sex couples the right to marry, start a family, and build a life here in Michigan has brought hope and joy to so many in our communities, while hurting absolutely no one,” Nessel said, as reported by Michigan Advance. “We cannot take these rights for granted.”
Moss’s Senate resolution is not the lone effort to address the issue. Earlier this year, State Representative Jason Morgan introduced a similar resolution in the House to put the question of same-sex marriage before Michigan voters. However, that proposal has languished in the House Committee on Government Operations, often referred to—somewhat cynically—as the place “where bills go to die.” Moss’s resolution has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety for further debate.
For either resolution to make it onto the ballot, a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate is required—a high bar in Michigan’s often divided legislature. The path forward is uncertain, but Moss remains undeterred. He made headlines earlier this year when he attended a press conference held by State Representative Josh Schriver, a Republican who introduced a resolution condemning Obergefell and urging the Supreme Court to overturn it. After Schriver left, Moss took over answering questions from the press, stating, “I think that people respect their LGBTQ neighbors, their LGBTQ family members. These marriages have been the law of the land for 10 years.”
While Michigan’s lawmakers debate the future of marriage equality, another front in the fight for LGBTQ+ acceptance is playing out on television screens across America. On November 6, 2025, GLAAD released its 20th annual “Where We Are on TV” study, a comprehensive look at LGBTQ+ representation in scripted prime-time broadcast, cable, and streaming shows. The study found 489 LGBTQ+ characters in the 2025-2026 season, an increase of 21 characters—a 4% jump over the previous season. While this marks a reversal after two years of decline, the number remains well below the 2021-2022 record high of 637 characters.
Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, cautioned that this modest gain may not last. More than 200 LGBTQ+ characters, including those from popular series like “Heartstopper,” “Harlem,” and “Elite,” will not return next season due to show cancellations, endings, or limited series status. “Storytelling brings us together and this current cultural and political climate calls on creatives and executives to double down on fair and accurate stories of LGBTQ people,” Ellis wrote in the report, as cited by the Associated Press.
The study also highlighted the shifting landscape of LGBTQ+ visibility on television. Representation on broadcast and cable has declined, while streaming platforms saw a notable increase—adding 45 LGBTQ+ characters to reach a total of 327. ABC led network television with the highest percentage of LGBTQ+ series regulars at 12.9%, while Netflix had the largest number of LGBTQ+ characters on streaming, boasting 177. The report noted increased diversity as well, with characters of color comprising 51% of all LGBTQ+ roles counted this year.
Transgender representation saw a slight uptick, reaching 33 characters (24 trans women, 7 trans men, and 2 nonbinary), but only four of these characters are set to appear on renewed series. Notably, for the second year in a row, only one character living with HIV was depicted—and that character will not return next season.
GLAAD’s report arrives amid a fraught political climate. President Donald Trump has issued executive orders targeting transgender and nonbinary Americans, including a declaration that recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, the removal of “gender ideology” from government websites, and the reinstatement of a ban on transgender military service. Against this backdrop, GLAAD’s call for urgent action and more inclusive storytelling takes on added urgency.
Public attitudes, however, are evolving. A recent Gallup poll found that 9.3% of U.S. adults now identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than straight—a figure that has more than doubled since Gallup began measuring LGBTQ+ identification in 2012. As GLAAD’s report reminds us, representation matters not just for entertainment, but for visibility, acceptance, and the affirmation of identity in everyday life.
Whether in the legislative chambers of Michigan or the fictional worlds of prime-time television, the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and representation continues—sometimes advancing, sometimes stalling, but never standing still. The coming months will test the resolve of lawmakers, creatives, and communities alike as they work to ensure that equality and inclusion remain more than just words on a page or characters on a screen.
