Pixar Scrapped Gay ‘Lu’ Storyle — Report – IndieWire

Contents:

• PIXAR SHORT FILM ‘OUT’ FEATUR STUD’S FIRST GAY MA CHARACTER
• ONWARD’S OPENLY GAY CHARACTER STILL LEAV DISNEY BEHD S PETORS
• PIXAR SHORT ‘OUT’ FEATUR THE STUD’S FIRST GAY LEAD CHARACTER
• WA A SEC — ARE THE MA CHARACTERS PIXAR’S ‘LU’ GAY?
• PIXAR REPORTEDLY SCRAPPED GAY ‘LU’ STORYLE: ‘HOW DO WE DO THIS WHOUT A LOVE INTERT?’
• DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS
• 'LIGHTYEAR' STAR CHRIS EVANS LLS CRICS OF DISNEY PIXAR'S GAY KISSG SCENE ‘IDTS’
• HOW GAY IS PIXAR’S LU?
• 'LU' DIRECTOR ADMS THEY 'TALKED ABOUT' MAKG THE LEADS GAY BUT CID TO FOC ON A 'PRE-ROMANCE' IENDSHIP
• SORRY, FOLKS, PIXAR’S LU ISN’T GAY
• IS LU PIXAR’S FIRST GAY MOVIE? MAYBE
• DISNEY CENSORS GAY CONTENT, ACRDG TO DISNEY EMPLOYEIN A STATEMENT, PIXAR EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT THEIR ATTEMPTS AT CLUDG “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEIR FILMS HAVE BEEN THWARTED BY RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY. BY CHRIS MURPHYMARCH 10, 2022© 2022 DISNEY/PIXARSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEPIXAR EMPLOYE ARE SPEAKG OUT ABOUT ALLEGED CENSORSHIP THEY FACED WHEN ATTEMPTG TO CLU MOMENTS OF SAME-SEX SENTIMENT THEIR FILMS. IN A STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO “THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLI” OBTAED BY VARIETY, THE EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAVE AXED “NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEY’VE TRIED TO SERT TO THEIR WORK, “REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR.”DISNEY IS CURRENTLY RECEIVG HARSH BACKLASH OM THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY FOR S IAL RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S NTROVERSIAL “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AS WELL AS THE STUD’S REPORTED FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE BILL’S SPONSORS AND SPONSORS. THE STATEMENT OM THE PIXAR EMPLOYE IS A RPONSE TO A PANY-WI MEMO SENT BY DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK, WHICH CHAPEK SAID THAT THE “BIGGT IMPACT WE N HAVE CREATG A MORE CLIVE WORLD IS THROUGH THE SPIRG NTENT WE PRODUCE.”BUT THE PIXAR EMPLOYE BEHD THE LETTER SAY THEY’VE FELT STIFLED AND STYMIED THEIR ATTEMPTS TO CLU MORE CLIVE NTENT THEIR FILMS. “WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE,” THE LETTER STAT. “EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG .”PIXAR MA HEADL 2020 FOR TRODUCG S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER, SPECTER—A CYCLOPS POLICE OFFICER VOICED BY LENA WAHE— THE FILM ONWARD. AS VARIETY NOT, SPECTER’S QUEER INTY, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY ADDRSED PASSG, WH THE LE: “IT’S NOT EASY BEG A NEW PARENT—MY GIRLIEND’S DGHTER GOT ME PULLG MY HAIR OUT, OKAY?” ONWARD WAS BANNED KUWA, OMAN, QATAR, AND SDI ARABIA DUE TO THE SCENE, AND THE WORD “GIRLIEND” WAS CHANGED TO “PARTNER” THE RSIAN RELEASE OF THE FILM, ACRDG TO VARIETY. DISNEY ALSO RELEASED OUT, A SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY MAN WHO STGGL WH G OUT TO HIS PARENTS, ON DISNEY+ THAT SAME YEAR.THE PIXAR EMPLOYEE LETTER MANDS THAT DISNEY WHDRAW FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL LEGISLATORS WHO SUPPORTED THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL AND “TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND” AGAST ALL SUCH LEGISLATN. AT A SHAREHOLR’S MEETG ON WEDNDAY, CHAPEK SAID THAT DISNEY WOULD PLEDGE $5 LN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND OTHER LGBTQ RIGHTS ANIZATNS, AND SAID THAT HE LLED FLORIDA ERNOR RON DESANTIS TO DISCS DISNEY’S “NCERN” WH THE BILL. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN LATER ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REFE DISNEY’S DONATN UNTIL “MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN TO BAT” THE LEGISLATN. “WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH,” READS THE LETTER OM PIXAR’S LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE. “DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE ‘BOTH SIS’—AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG.” DISNEY DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RPOND TO A REQUT FOR MENT.YOU N READ THE LETTER FULL BELOW:A STATEMENT TO LEARSHIP OM THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR & THEIR ALLIWE ARE WRG BEE WE ARE DISAPPOTED, HURT, AAID, AND ANGRY. IN REGARDS TO DISNEY’S FANCIAL VOLVEMENT WH LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, WE HOPED THAT OUR PANY WOULD SHOW UP FOR . BUT DIDN’T.MONDAY’S EMAIL, “OUR UNWAVERG COMMMENT TO THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY”, RANG HOLLOW. IT BEGAN WH THE CLAIM THAT DISNEY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTG THE LGBT MUNY, BUT DISNEY PARKS DID NOT OFFICIALLY HOST PRI UNTIL 2019, PARIS ALONE. DISNEY HAS A HISTORY OF SHUTTG DOWN FAN-CREATED PRI EVENTS THE PARKS, EVEN REMOVG SAME-SEX UPL FOR DANCG TOGETHER THE 1980’S. ADDNALLY, DISNEY BEGAN PALIZG ON PRI 2018 WH THE RABOW MICKEY COLLECTN, (WHILE -EMPHASIZG THE TERMS LIKE LGBTQ+ AND NOT EVEN FEATURG EXPLICLY LGBTQIA+ PIEC SUCH AS PRI FLAG PS UNTIL 2021). TO THIS END, FEELS TERRIBLE TO BE A PART OF A PANY THAT MAK MONEY OM PRI MERCH WHEN CHOOS TO “STEP BACK” TIM OF OUR GREATT NEED, WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE AT RISK.THE SEND CLAIM STATED THAT “RPORATE STATEMENTS DO VERY LTLE TO CHANGE OUT OR MDS”. HOWEVER, THE VERY EMAIL MAKG THIS CLAIM OPENED WH A RPORATE STATEMENT REGARDG THE ONGOG SUATN UKRAE. EIGHT DAYS AFTER RSIA VAD UKRAE, DISNEY PSED THE RELEASE OF THEATRIL FILMS RSIA AND ANNOUNCED “WE WILL MAKE FUTURE BS CISNS BASED ON THE EVOLVG SUATN.” FOLLOWG THE SIEGE ON THE PAL 2021, DISNEY STOPPED ALL POLIL DONATNS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRS WHO HAD OBJECTED TO THE PRINTIAL ELECTN RULTS. IN 2016, DISNEY TOLD THE STATE OF GEIA: “WE WILL PLAN TO TAKE OUR BS ELSEWHERE SHOULD ANY LEGISLATN ALLOWG DISCRIMATORY PRACTIC BE SIGNED TO STATE LAW” RPONSE TO THE NTROVERSIAL RELIG LIBERTY BILL. BY TAKG A STAND, DISNEY DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE LEGISLATIVE OUTE GEIA. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT DISNEY’S RPORATE STATEMENTS N AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.FALLY, WE E TO THE PH FOR CONTENT AS THE ANSWER. WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE. NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN IS CUT AT DISNEY’S BEHT, REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR. EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG . BEYOND THE “SPIRG NTENT” THAT WE AREN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO CREATE, WE REQUIRE ACTN.WE ARE LLG ON DISNEY LEARSHIP TO IMMEDIATELY WHDRAW ALL FANCIAL SUPPORT OM THE LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, TO FULLY NOUNCE THIS LEGISLATN PUBLICLY, AND TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THEIR FANCIAL VOLVEMENT. WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. THROUGHOUT THE SHAREHOLR MEETG, DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE “BOTH SIS” – AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG. THIS IS NOT WHAT MEANS TO “UNEQUIVOLLY STAND SUPPORT OF OUR LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE, THEIR FAI, AND THEIR MUNI.”DISNEY TAKG A STAND BY HONORG THEIR PANY VALU HAS CHANGED THE URSE OF LEGISLATN THE PAST. IF DISNEY IS TE S VALU, WILL TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND AGAST THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN OCCURRG FLORIDA AND OFFER TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQIA+ MUNI AFFECTED BY BIGOTED LEGISLATN SWEEPG THE UNTRY. STAND AGAST THIS BILL FLORIDA AND AGAST THE SIAR BILLS SOUTH CAROLA, ARIZONA, VIRGIA, AND TENNSEE. STAND AGAST THE TRANSPHOBIC LEGISLATN TEXAS, IOWA, UTAH, KANSAS, INDIANA, LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, AND ALABAMA. MANY HATEFUL GROUPS ARE ATTEMPTG TO ERADITE THROUGH LEGISLATN – WE NEED YOU TO STAND WH ENTIRELY, NOT EMPTY WORDS.THIS MATTER IS NOT SOMETHG THAT N WA UNTIL REIMAGE TOMORROW APRIL, OR PRI MONTH JUNE. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRSED NOW. THIS IS URGENT. 42% OF LGBTQIA+ YOUTH SERLY NSIRED SUICI 2021, CLUDG MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENR AND NONBARY YOUTH, WH A LARGE FACTOR BEG THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATNS ENABLE. DISNEY CLAIMS TO RE FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN, BUT SUPPORTG POLICIANS LIKE THIS DIRECTLY HURTS ONE OF THEIR MOST VULNERABLE DIENC. THERE ARE LIV AT STAKE AND DISNEY’S SUPPORT ULD SAVE THOSE LIV. “WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO,” YOUR EMAIL SAID. THIS IS THAT WORK.SIGNED WH PRI,THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLIMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISCHRIS MURPHY
• PIXAR SHORT ‘OUT’ PROV GAY STORI CAN LIVE ON FAY-FRIENDLY DISNEY+

PIXAR SHORT FILM ‘OUT’ FEATUR STUD’S FIRST GAY MA CHARACTER

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe animated film follows a gay man’s journey to acceptance as he prepar to move to a cy wh his May 24, 2020Updated May 27, 2020The man nervoly practic ont of his dog how he is gog to tell his parents he is gay.

ONWARD’S OPENLY GAY CHARACTER STILL LEAV DISNEY BEHD S PETORS

“Jt look them the ey and say, ‘Mom, Dad, I’m — this is my boyiend, Manuel, ’” Greg says, holdg a amed photo of himself wh his boyiend ’s a scene om “Out, ” the new short film om Pixar Animatn Studs that troduc the stud’s first gay ma character. In the 2019 Marvel movie “Avengers: Endgame, ” there was a brief appearance by a gay the 2017 live-actn remake of “Bety and the Beast, ” LeFou, Gaston’s sikick played by Josh Gad, was prented as Diaz is a general assignment reporter verg breakg news.

More about Johnny DiazA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 19 of the New York edn wh the headle: Pixar Film ‘Out’ Featur Stud’s First Gay Lead. Me unr fire for s ial silence regardg a Florida bill rtrictg classroom discsn of sexual orientatn and genr inty — dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by crics.

Durg the tumult, Pixar employe lled out Disney executiv for cuttg “nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn” om the animatn stud’s films. Onward, Pixar’s first non-sequel movie sce 2017’s Co, notably featur the stud’s first openly gay character. This one le, livered passg wh no follow-up, marks the first verbal regnn of a character’s gay relatnship an animated Disney movie.

PIXAR SHORT ‘OUT’ FEATUR THE STUD’S FIRST GAY LEAD CHARACTER

Whether animators vertly add those gay moments, or ’s jt fans projectg, the bt-se scenar for Disney is to let LGBTQ muni celebrate potentially gay characters whout the pany havg to acknowledge their queerns. Disney’s dience is huge, and unfortunately, clus vol homophob — both the Stat and ternatnal markets, cludg untri where beg gay n land you jail — as well as queer viewers sperate for reprentatn.

Thanks large part to lobbyg om fans, Disney started featurg explicly gay characters recent years — mostly blk-and-you’ll-miss- moments. Back 2017, director Bill Condon ma headl when he announced that his live-actn Bety and the Beast remake would feature “a nice, exclively gay moment” urty of Josh Gad’s LeFou. The obsequ sikick to Bety and the Beast’s Gaston had always been spected of admirg the swaggerg villa as more than jt a ra, but acrdg to Condon (who is openly gay himself), his versn of LeFou would be explicly cshg on Gaston.

WA A SEC — ARE THE MA CHARACTERS PIXAR’S ‘LU’ GAY?

That “exclively gay moment” end up beg even more disappotg, however, when only amounted to some (by Condon’s own admissn) “subtle” flirtg, and a few sends of footage where LeFou and a man drag lli at a celebratn. Avengers: Endgame -director Joe Rso said that was so important to him that Marvel movi reflect the queer muny that he wanted to play the Marvel Cematic Universe’s first gay character himself. (Marvel Studs print Kev Feige has nfirmed that there will be fally be a gay superhero the MCU, urty of Brian Tyree Henry’s character The Eternals.

PIXAR REPORTEDLY SCRAPPED GAY ‘LU’ STORYLE: ‘HOW DO WE DO THIS WHOUT A LOVE INTERT?’

Cys Goodman, the bt-iend character on Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, me out as gay a 2017 episo.

” In this se, the sexual exploratn happens to be gay, while films like Never Been Kissed and 10 Thgs I Hate About You, which feature siar high-school sexual terrory, are still on the platform.

DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS

Pixar’s new short film “Out” is remiscent of classic Disney body-swap edi like “Freaky Friday” and the “Shaggy Dog” movi, but ’s also a first for the stud, bee s ma character is gay. The story revolv around a young man named Greg, who’s aaid to tell his parents that he’s gay and is worried that they will see a picture of him and his boyiend when they e help him move. A study released last year by the Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn (GLAAD) found that only 18.

Disney has clud LGBTQ upl some of s blockbters – Gaston’s sikick LeFou was portrayed as gay the live-actn versn of “Bety and the Beast, ” and there was a brief kiss between two female rebel fighters “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. A character also me out as gay on the Disney Channel seri “Andi Mack, ” which ran for three seasons before wrappg up last year. The Disney brand took a h followg cricism by Pixar employe over the pany's refal to take an overt stance agast Florida's ntroversial "Don't Say Gay" bill, which clud allegatns the entertament giant cut pictns of LGBT affectn om Pixar's ntent.

Some fans felt he was overpensatg, however, and that his markg out was a ht that he was gay. Given that this film was about puberty, menstatn and hidg one's te inty, aka Mei embracg her panda si, would have been natural to have a teen e out of the closet, proud to announce that beg bicur or gay wasn't a monster they need to hi.

'LIGHTYEAR' STAR CHRIS EVANS LLS CRICS OF DISNEY PIXAR'S GAY KISSG SCENE ‘IDTS’

Lu is marketed as a "metaphor for anythg" but the sea monster setup is a perfect allegory for a gay story, and LGBTQ viewers n read that way.

HOW GAY IS PIXAR’S LU?

Lu has arrived on Disney+ and, spe what Pixar says, the movie prents a strong allegory for growg up gay and fdg a nnectn wh other LGBTQ people. This elis the fact that beg gay, queer, or LGBTQ+ is not simply a matter of partners or relatnships or sex. Young gay people often feel very different om others before such feelgs velop, which n occur squarely the age bracket the story plac Lu and Alberto.

'LU' DIRECTOR ADMS THEY 'TALKED ABOUT' MAKG THE LEADS GAY BUT CID TO FOC ON A 'PRE-ROMANCE' IENDSHIP

In the ments, Casarosa is enuragg such terpretatn, meang that, if you see there, Lu is a gay story, Pixar's first feature film wh LGBTQ+ leads. The parallels of the boys secretly beg sea monsters and gay and LGBTQ+ people beg forced to hi their inti cuts closer than other mory groups, ratnalizg a queer readg of the movie.

So while Pixar ni Lu is a gay story due to s settg and the age of s characters, viewers should read the LGBTQ+ narrative for what is. Here’s what we PixarArticle ntu below advertisementAre the ma characters Pixar’s ‘Lu’ gay? "Thank you to all who have reached out to me sharg your pa, tratn and sadns over the pany's rponse to the Florida 'Don't Say Gay' bill, " Chapek began the email, which was verified by EW.

" EARLIER: Pixar employe are speakg out rponse to Disney's actns surroundg Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

SORRY, FOLKS, PIXAR’S LU ISN’T GAY

"Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney's beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar. | Cred: Smh Collectn/Gado/Getty Imag The letter was wrten rponse to an ternal memo om CEO Bob Chapek sent to Disney staff earlier this week that addrsed Hoe Bill 1557, dubbed by crics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

" Pixar's 2020 film Onward featured a gay character named Officer Spector, voiced by Lena Wahe, but the character's volvement the story was fleetg. Onward Lena Wahe's Officer Spector Pixar's 'Onward' | Cred: Disney/Pixar Chapek ma more five statements on the "Don't Say Gay" bill durg a Disney shareholrs meetg on Wednday. " Chapek noted that he had spoken wh Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and exprsed his ncerns about how the bill "uld be ed to unfairly target gay, lbian, nonbary, and transgenr kids and fai.

IS LU PIXAR’S FIRST GAY MOVIE? MAYBE

However, the HRC announced would refe any donatns om Disney "until we see them build on their public mment and work wh LGBTQ+ advot to ensure that dangero proposals, like Florida's 'Don't Say Gay or Trans' bill, don't bee dangero laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books. " Chapek and other Disney lears received a letter om LGBTQ staff about the "Don't Say Gay" bill jt after had passed Florida's Hoe of Reprentativ, per Variety. " Disney Don't Say Gay prott Prottors ll on Disney to fight agast Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

DISNEY CENSORS GAY CONTENT, ACRDG TO DISNEY EMPLOYEIN A STATEMENT, PIXAR EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT THEIR ATTEMPTS AT CLUDG “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEIR FILMS HAVE BEEN THWARTED BY RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY. BY CHRIS MURPHYMARCH 10, 2022© 2022 DISNEY/PIXARSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEPIXAR EMPLOYE ARE SPEAKG OUT ABOUT ALLEGED CENSORSHIP THEY FACED WHEN ATTEMPTG TO CLU MOMENTS OF SAME-SEX SENTIMENT THEIR FILMS. IN A STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO “THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLI” OBTAED BY VARIETY, THE EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAVE AXED “NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEY’VE TRIED TO SERT TO THEIR WORK, “REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR.”DISNEY IS CURRENTLY RECEIVG HARSH BACKLASH OM THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY FOR S IAL RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S NTROVERSIAL “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AS WELL AS THE STUD’S REPORTED FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE BILL’S SPONSORS AND SPONSORS. THE STATEMENT OM THE PIXAR EMPLOYE IS A RPONSE TO A PANY-WI MEMO SENT BY DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK, WHICH CHAPEK SAID THAT THE “BIGGT IMPACT WE N HAVE CREATG A MORE CLIVE WORLD IS THROUGH THE SPIRG NTENT WE PRODUCE.”BUT THE PIXAR EMPLOYE BEHD THE LETTER SAY THEY’VE FELT STIFLED AND STYMIED THEIR ATTEMPTS TO CLU MORE CLIVE NTENT THEIR FILMS. “WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE,” THE LETTER STAT. “EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG .”PIXAR MA HEADL 2020 FOR TRODUCG S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER, SPECTER—A CYCLOPS POLICE OFFICER VOICED BY LENA WAHE— THE FILM ONWARD. AS VARIETY NOT, SPECTER’S QUEER INTY, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY ADDRSED PASSG, WH THE LE: “IT’S NOT EASY BEG A NEW PARENT—MY GIRLIEND’S DGHTER GOT ME PULLG MY HAIR OUT, OKAY?” ONWARD WAS BANNED KUWA, OMAN, QATAR, AND SDI ARABIA DUE TO THE SCENE, AND THE WORD “GIRLIEND” WAS CHANGED TO “PARTNER” THE RSIAN RELEASE OF THE FILM, ACRDG TO VARIETY. DISNEY ALSO RELEASED OUT, A SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY MAN WHO STGGL WH G OUT TO HIS PARENTS, ON DISNEY+ THAT SAME YEAR.THE PIXAR EMPLOYEE LETTER MANDS THAT DISNEY WHDRAW FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL LEGISLATORS WHO SUPPORTED THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL AND “TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND” AGAST ALL SUCH LEGISLATN. AT A SHAREHOLR’S MEETG ON WEDNDAY, CHAPEK SAID THAT DISNEY WOULD PLEDGE $5 LN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND OTHER LGBTQ RIGHTS ANIZATNS, AND SAID THAT HE LLED FLORIDA ERNOR RON DESANTIS TO DISCS DISNEY’S “NCERN” WH THE BILL. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN LATER ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REFE DISNEY’S DONATN UNTIL “MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN TO BAT” THE LEGISLATN. “WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH,” READS THE LETTER OM PIXAR’S LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE. “DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE ‘BOTH SIS’—AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG.” DISNEY DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RPOND TO A REQUT FOR MENT.YOU N READ THE LETTER FULL BELOW:A STATEMENT TO LEARSHIP OM THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR & THEIR ALLIWE ARE WRG BEE WE ARE DISAPPOTED, HURT, AAID, AND ANGRY. IN REGARDS TO DISNEY’S FANCIAL VOLVEMENT WH LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, WE HOPED THAT OUR PANY WOULD SHOW UP FOR . BUT DIDN’T.MONDAY’S EMAIL, “OUR UNWAVERG COMMMENT TO THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY”, RANG HOLLOW. IT BEGAN WH THE CLAIM THAT DISNEY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTG THE LGBT MUNY, BUT DISNEY PARKS DID NOT OFFICIALLY HOST PRI UNTIL 2019, PARIS ALONE. DISNEY HAS A HISTORY OF SHUTTG DOWN FAN-CREATED PRI EVENTS THE PARKS, EVEN REMOVG SAME-SEX UPL FOR DANCG TOGETHER THE 1980’S. ADDNALLY, DISNEY BEGAN PALIZG ON PRI 2018 WH THE RABOW MICKEY COLLECTN, (WHILE -EMPHASIZG THE TERMS LIKE LGBTQ+ AND NOT EVEN FEATURG EXPLICLY LGBTQIA+ PIEC SUCH AS PRI FLAG PS UNTIL 2021). TO THIS END, FEELS TERRIBLE TO BE A PART OF A PANY THAT MAK MONEY OM PRI MERCH WHEN CHOOS TO “STEP BACK” TIM OF OUR GREATT NEED, WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE AT RISK.THE SEND CLAIM STATED THAT “RPORATE STATEMENTS DO VERY LTLE TO CHANGE OUT OR MDS”. HOWEVER, THE VERY EMAIL MAKG THIS CLAIM OPENED WH A RPORATE STATEMENT REGARDG THE ONGOG SUATN UKRAE. EIGHT DAYS AFTER RSIA VAD UKRAE, DISNEY PSED THE RELEASE OF THEATRIL FILMS RSIA AND ANNOUNCED “WE WILL MAKE FUTURE BS CISNS BASED ON THE EVOLVG SUATN.” FOLLOWG THE SIEGE ON THE PAL 2021, DISNEY STOPPED ALL POLIL DONATNS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRS WHO HAD OBJECTED TO THE PRINTIAL ELECTN RULTS. IN 2016, DISNEY TOLD THE STATE OF GEIA: “WE WILL PLAN TO TAKE OUR BS ELSEWHERE SHOULD ANY LEGISLATN ALLOWG DISCRIMATORY PRACTIC BE SIGNED TO STATE LAW” RPONSE TO THE NTROVERSIAL RELIG LIBERTY BILL. BY TAKG A STAND, DISNEY DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE LEGISLATIVE OUTE GEIA. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT DISNEY’S RPORATE STATEMENTS N AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.FALLY, WE E TO THE PH FOR CONTENT AS THE ANSWER. WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE. NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN IS CUT AT DISNEY’S BEHT, REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR. EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG . BEYOND THE “SPIRG NTENT” THAT WE AREN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO CREATE, WE REQUIRE ACTN.WE ARE LLG ON DISNEY LEARSHIP TO IMMEDIATELY WHDRAW ALL FANCIAL SUPPORT OM THE LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, TO FULLY NOUNCE THIS LEGISLATN PUBLICLY, AND TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THEIR FANCIAL VOLVEMENT. WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. THROUGHOUT THE SHAREHOLR MEETG, DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE “BOTH SIS” – AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG. THIS IS NOT WHAT MEANS TO “UNEQUIVOLLY STAND SUPPORT OF OUR LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE, THEIR FAI, AND THEIR MUNI.”DISNEY TAKG A STAND BY HONORG THEIR PANY VALU HAS CHANGED THE URSE OF LEGISLATN THE PAST. IF DISNEY IS TE S VALU, WILL TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND AGAST THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN OCCURRG FLORIDA AND OFFER TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQIA+ MUNI AFFECTED BY BIGOTED LEGISLATN SWEEPG THE UNTRY. STAND AGAST THIS BILL FLORIDA AND AGAST THE SIAR BILLS SOUTH CAROLA, ARIZONA, VIRGIA, AND TENNSEE. STAND AGAST THE TRANSPHOBIC LEGISLATN TEXAS, IOWA, UTAH, KANSAS, INDIANA, LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, AND ALABAMA. MANY HATEFUL GROUPS ARE ATTEMPTG TO ERADITE THROUGH LEGISLATN – WE NEED YOU TO STAND WH ENTIRELY, NOT EMPTY WORDS.THIS MATTER IS NOT SOMETHG THAT N WA UNTIL REIMAGE TOMORROW APRIL, OR PRI MONTH JUNE. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRSED NOW. THIS IS URGENT. 42% OF LGBTQIA+ YOUTH SERLY NSIRED SUICI 2021, CLUDG MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENR AND NONBARY YOUTH, WH A LARGE FACTOR BEG THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATNS ENABLE. DISNEY CLAIMS TO RE FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN, BUT SUPPORTG POLICIANS LIKE THIS DIRECTLY HURTS ONE OF THEIR MOST VULNERABLE DIENC. THERE ARE LIV AT STAKE AND DISNEY’S SUPPORT ULD SAVE THOSE LIV. “WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO,” YOUR EMAIL SAID. THIS IS THAT WORK.SIGNED WH PRI,THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLIMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARWH MATRO, LEONARD BERNSTE’S LEGACY AND LOV FALLY H THE BIG SCREENBY REBEC FORDTHE BOOK OF CLARENCE IS A BOMBASTIC JOURNEY BACK TO THE BIBLIL ERABY REBEC FORD25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSBY HILLARY BISCHRIS MURPHY

"We are llg on Disney learship to immediately whdraw all fancial support om the legislators behd the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, to fully nounce this legislatn publicly, and to make amends for their fancial volvement, " the letter stat. In regards to Disney's fancial volvement wh legislators behd the "Don't Say Gay" bill, we hoped that our pany would show up for . Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney's beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar.

We are llg on Disney learship to immediately whdraw all fancial support om the legislators behd the "Don't Say Gay" bill, to fully nounce this legislatn publicly, and to make amends for their fancial volvement. Signed wh Pri, The LGBTQIA+ employe of Pixar, and their alli Related ntent: Disney revers urse by speakg out agast Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill, pledg $5 ln to LGBTQ anizatnsJsi Chasta brought the HIV activist om Tammy Faye's 1985 terview to Osrs luncheonBenedict Cumberbatch addrs Sam Elltt's 'odd' rant about Power of the Dog's gay them. The legislatn’s tractors, who dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, quickly lled on Disney to stop fundg policians who support the bill.

While Disney has recently rporated extremely subtle referenc to homosexualy some of s films, many crics feel the pany has not done nearly enough to make their movi clive.

PIXAR SHORT ‘OUT’ PROV GAY STORI CAN LIVE ON FAY-FRIENDLY DISNEY+

“Lu” tells the story of two male sea monsters who have a iendship so timate that many crics terpreted as a gay allegory. While some undoubtedly appreciated the relatnship “Lu, ” members of the LGBTQ muny have long plaed about media featurg characters that appear to be gay whout ever acknowledgg .

To make matters worse, new reportg om Variety dit that Pixar executiv also nsired makg the character of Giulia, a human girl “Lu, ” gay, but the plans never materialized. A source who works at Pixar said that the stud, which has had tense ternal liberatns about whether to clu same-sex upl background shots of recent films, uld not figure out a way to wre a gay character whout a romantic plotle. A letter om a group of employe of Pixar – the stud behd Toy Story, The Incredibl and Insi Out – claimed Disney executiv have “barred” moments of gay affectn om films before they are by “the LGBTQIA+ employe of Pixar & their alli”, the letter says: “We at Pixar have personally wnsed betiful stori, full of diverse characters, e back om Disney rporate reviews shaved down to cmbs of what they once were.

”It adds: “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht … Even if creatg LGBTQIA+ ntent was the answer to fixg the discrimatory legislatn the world, we are beg barred om creatg . ”First reported by Judd Legum of Popular Informatn, the statement is the latt velopment a crisis for Disney prompted by the pany’s rponse to the ntroversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill which passed the Florida state legislature on Tuday.