Given the scant research on audience reception based on group techniques, we used a focus group approach to compare interpretations by straight and cisgender and LGBTIQ+ individuals of representations of LGBTIQ+ characters in contemporary fiction series. The methodology is based on conducting four focus groups, two with LGBTIQ+ participants and two with cissexual participants, with questions based, on a first block, on fragments of series with LGBTIQ+ characters, a second on representation and inclusion, and a third on identification. The objective is to detect similarities and differences in the interpretations of these two groups. The results point to conflicting interpretations on various issues. For instance, while the LGBTIQ+ participants state that they can feel identified with any character, regardless of their sexual orientation, the straight and cisgender participants feel unable to fully identify with LGBTIQ+ characters. In conclusion, we infer that, despite confirmation of the paradigm of the active audience in terms of sexuality issues, our LGBTIQ+ participants tended to be more critical, while our straight and cisgender participants tended to be more accepting of media messages.