Is Lu Pixar’s First Gay Movie? Maybe | Vany Fair

Contents:

• HOW GAY IS PIXAR’S LU?
• PIXAR SHORT ‘OUT’ FEATUR THE STUD’S FIRST GAY LEAD CHARACTER
• 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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYCHRIS MURPHY
• DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS
• 'LU' DIRECTOR ADMS THEY 'TALKED ABOUT' MAKG THE LEADS GAY BUT CID TO FOC ON A 'PRE-ROMANCE' IENDSHIP
• SAME-SEX KISS RTORED PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ FOLLOWG STAFF UPROAR OVER ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL (EXCLUSIVE)
• IS LU PIXAR’S FIRST GAY MOVIE? MAYBE
• SORRY, FOLKS, PIXAR’S LU ISN’T GAY
• DO DISNEY’S ‘LU’ HAVE A GAY CHARACTER?
• PIXAR REPORTEDLY SCRAPPED GAY ‘LU’ STORYLE: ‘HOW DO WE DO THIS WHOUT A LOVE INTERT?’
• PIXAR SHORT 'OUT' MAK HISTORY WH GAY PROTAGONIST. WATCH ON DISNEY+ NOW

HOW GAY IS PIXAR’S LU?

Still, there have been so many siar discsns about queer inty Disney movi that you n almost predict the disurse ahead of time: “They’re gay! For both live-actn and animated movi, the stud has overhyped what have bee known as “exclively gay moments, ” ty morsels of reprentatn that are eher so subtle you hardly notice them (a kiss between two women the background of a Star Wars movie) or so plot-irrelevant that they n be easily chopped or overlooked by ternatnal censors (here’s lookg at you, Endgame’s unnamed Grievg Man). Meanwhile, while Disney has ngratulated self and claimed to blaze new trails, plenty of other animatn studs have been ahead of them: Laika’s ParaNorman, for example, featured an openly gay character way back 2012.

Ironilly, the Disney movie that gave the term “exclively gay moment” the first place took a different tack: The live-actn Bety and the Beast’s LeFou is more the spir of the stud’s long-standg tradn of strongly queer-d, if not explicly gay, villas. Fans have sce picked up on homoerotic unrton Raya and the Last Dragon and the live-actn Mulan, but the movi rema rabow Rorschach tts, wh dienc havg to read between the l or project their own meangs to fd queer reprentatn. 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.

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

“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. “By centerg on a young gay man, ‘Out’ jt raised the bar for cln kids and fay programmg. 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. 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.

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 POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISSOUND OF FREEDOM: THE WILD TE STORY BEHD 2023’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL FILMBY EVE BATEYCHRIS MURPHY

A character also me out as gay on the Disney Channel seri “Andi Mack, ” which ran for three seasons before wrappg up last year. 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.

”Pixar ma headl 2020 for troducg s first openly gay character, Specter—a cyclops police officer voiced by Lena Wahe— the film Onward.

Disney also released Out, a short film about a gay man who stggl wh g out to his parents, on Disney+ that same 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. 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.

DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS

Beyond the “spirg ntent” that we aren’t even allowed to create, we require 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. In a statement attributed to “the LGBTQIA+ employe of Pixar, and their alli” obtaed by Variety, employe of the animatn stud allege that Disney rporate executiv have mand cuts om “nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn… regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar.

The stunng claim is part of a wir reactn to the pany-wi memo sent to Disney employe by CEO Bob Chapek on Monday regardg s rponse to the recently passed legislatn Florida known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The same year, Pixar released a short film, “Out, ” on Disney Pl, about a gay man who stggl wh g out to his parents.

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

The employee letter also mands Disney whdraw fancial support of all legislatur who supported the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and “take a cisive public stand” agast the legislatn and bills like elsewhere the untry. It also referenc Chapek’s ments earlier on Wednday durg the pany’s shareholrs meetg, when the CEO spoke publicly for the first time about Disney’s opposn to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, after weatherg wispread cricism for his handlg of the issue. DeSantis mted to me that he wanted to make sure that this law uld not be weaponized any way by dividuals the state or groups the state to unduly harm or target gay, lbian, nonbary or transgenr kids and fai, ” Chapek said.

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.

SAME-SEX KISS RTORED PIXAR’S ‘LIGHTYEAR’ FOLLOWG STAFF UPROAR OVER ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL (EXCLUSIVE)

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.

"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.

IS LU PIXAR’S FIRST GAY MOVIE? MAYBE

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

"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.

SORRY, FOLKS, PIXAR’S LU ISN’T GAY

" 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. 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.

"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.

DO DISNEY’S ‘LU’ HAVE A GAY CHARACTER?

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.

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

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 same-sex kiss first ma headl last month, when Pixar animators spoke out agast Disney an open letter obtaed by Variety, sayg that rporate executiv had mand cuts "om nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn. But was later rtored light of Disney's "Don't Say Gay" ntroversy, when was revealed the pany had donated roughly $200, 000 to Republin policians who supported the bill, which forbids discsns of sexual orient elementary school classrooms.

"Other live-actn Disney films have relegated queer characters to the background, like a blk-and-you'll-miss- kiss between two women "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, " or the "exclively gay moment" of Josh Gad's LeFou dancg wh another man "Bety and the Beast. : It was ially cut om the film, then rtored after ternal uproar when was revealed Disney had donated $200, 000 to Republin policians who supported Florida's “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which forbids discsns of sexual orientatn elementary school Evans' Buzz is more fantastic than plastic Pixar's spiffy 'Lightyear'“What this film do is handle love and those stori the way that they should be, that they are not the totaly of a person, ” Aduba tells USA TODAY.

PIXAR SHORT 'OUT' MAK HISTORY WH GAY PROTAGONIST. WATCH ON DISNEY+ NOW

':Chris Evans on 'Lightyear, ' playg bad guys and beg 'a romantic person'In March, the kiss was rtored after Pixar animators spoke out agast Disney  an open letter obtaed by Variety, sayg executiv had mand cuts "om nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn. Playg a character like Alisha a high-profile movie the wake of “Don’t Say Gay” and other siar legislatn “means everythg, ” Aduba adds.

Watchg the close relatnship the ma characters Lu and Alberto have, many even went and clared the animated versn of the gay g-of-age 2017 drama, "Call Me by Your Name, " starrg Timothée Chalamet and Armie "Lu" director Enri Casarosa has always said while dog prs that the story is based on his straight relatnship wh his bt iend growg up Italy, a recent terview wh The Wrap he did adm that for a moment while velopg the story they wonred if Lu and Alberto should be more than jt iends. "It's a shame that this cisn has e when a gay romance uld have so easily and naturally be explored, " he wrote. "Makg Lu and Alberto explicly gay or queer wouldn't have felt ntrived, would have been a meangful nfirmatn of what is already a story rich gay subtext.