With the success of this year’s Inside Out 2 and Moana, Disney finally seems to be recovering from its latest slump. But the studio’s troubles are far from over, especially as its aversion to LGBTQ+ representation grows more prevalent by the day.
Disney faced major scrutiny this November, when a group of story artists from Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur revealed that an episode was shelved for focusing on a transgender character. Representatives from Disney denied banning the episode for its LGBTQ+ imagery, or to appease conservative audiences. Instead, the studio wanted to be “respectful of the role that parents play in the discussions they have with their children,” as Moon Girl’s target audience skews pretty young. If that statement didn’t feel like a total cop-out then, it certainly does now, as Disney’s using the same argument to justify another cut storyline.
Pixar is gearing up to launch its first long-form series, Win or Lose, on Disney+. The show follows a co-ed middle school softball team on the path to their championship game, with each episode focusing on one character from their unique point of view. Like Moon Girl, Win or Lose features a Black female athlete who just so happens to be trans. And like Moon Girl, Disney’s chosen to erase all evidence of her trans identity from the series.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the character will remain in the series, “but a few lines of dialogue that referenced gender identity are being removed.” One source revealed that the decision had apparently been made months prior to Disney’s announcement, while a spokesperson from Disney provided the following statement: “When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”
Chanel Stewart, the transgender actress who voices the character on Win or Lose, weighed in on the cuts in a conversation with Deadline. Though she’ll still play a prominent role in the series, “my character [will] now be a cis girl, a straight cis girl.” Naturally, she’s “disheartened” by the change.
“From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth,” Stewart told Deadline. “I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”
The topic of gender identity is one that Disney routinely struggles to embrace. As THR notes, the studio has featured LGBTQ+ characters and storylines in other, more “mature” projects — most recently Agatha All Along. That makes the choice to remove those storylines from family-friendly projects like Win or Lose even more apparent.
Younger audiences shouldn’t be shielded from queer stories, particularly those that meet kids at their level. They’re reflections of real life, not taboo subjects that parents can choose to “discuss” with their kids or ignore outright. Providing LGBTQ+ representation shouldn’t have to be this political act — but with backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (also known under the umbrella term DEI) more prevalent than ever, studios and streamers have to pick a side. Disney talks a good game, but its track record isn’t exactly stellar. As this isn’t the first time it has cut a queer story arc, it’s clear which side the studio’s really on.
