Why Did Disney’s Jungle Cise Have to Go Gay? | Ask Dr. Brown

Contents:

• A GAY CHARACTER SPARKS BATE AND A REFORMED TRAR SAM EMERG DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE'
• WHY DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE HAVE TO GO GAY?
• ‘JUNGLE CISE’S’ GAY CHARACTER IS YET ANOTHER BABY STEP FROM DISNEY
• JUNGLE CISE'S GAY CHARACTER ISN'T PERFECT, BUT HE'S PROGRS
• JUNGLE CISE: DISNEY’S FIRST GAY MA CHARACTER (AND COMG OUT SCENE) EXPLAED
• A CHARACTER DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE IS GAY, OR SO WE’RE TOLD
• THE CONTROVERSIAL GAY REPRENTATN IN DISNEY’S “JUNGLE CISE” WAS MEH!
• DISNEY INJECTS GAY AGENDA 'JUNGLE CISE' FLICK WH 'PROUD' COMG-OUT SCENE
• COMG OUT SCENE JUNGLE CISE WON’T USE WORD 'GAY'
• VACAYA – GAY & LGBT+ CIS & RORT VATNS REIMAGED
• 'JUNGLE CISE' 'S JACK WHEHALL SAYS HE'S 'PROUD' OF GAY CHARACTER'S COMG-OUT MOMENT FILM
• 12 TOP GAY CIS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS 2023 AND 2024
• DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE' HAS COMG OUT SCENE WH OPENLY GAY CHARACTER
• ‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM
• DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE GO FAR ENOUGH WH S GAY REPRENTATN?
• WHY DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE HAVE TO GO GAY?
• DISNEY SLAMMED FOR FALLG SHORT YET AGA WH JACK WHEHALL’S GAY JUNGLE CISE CHARACTER

A GAY CHARACTER SPARKS BATE AND A REFORMED TRAR SAM EMERG DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE'

”Whehall’s MacGregor Houghton “ out” a “Jungle Cise” scene wh Dwayne Johnson’s Frank Wolff (never g the word "gay") film featur a rebooted Trar Sam, a character recently removed om the Disney Parks’ Jungle Cise after cricism over the ri’s racist pictn of Indigeno "Jungle Cise" has some notable passengers. Brish edian Jack Whehall plays Lily's brother MacGregor Houghton, who is gay, even g out  a scene wh Wolff (though notably whout employg the word "gay").

WHY DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE HAVE TO GO GAY?

Meanwhile, ntroversial shnken head aler Trar Sam, recently removed om the Jungle Cise ri after cricism for s racist pictn of Indigeno people, reappears onscreen the reimaged form of Mexin actrs Veroni Falcó's how the characters took their plac onboard "Jungle Cise" which took $90 ln  worldwi box office and Disney+ Premiere Accs over openg Rock, Ey Blunt: Reveal that most awkward 'Jungle Cise' kiss, dirty jok cut by DisneyMacGregor Houghton subtly out to his Jungle Cise ptaDisney has been cricized for the lack of LGBTQ film reprentatn movi, and lled out for blk-or-you'll-miss- gay character moments films such as "Bety and the Beast" and "Onward.

" The word "gay" is not mentned the scene that further explas MacGregor's bond to his sister: dienc learn MacGregor's remag fay, and society, have turned their back on him "all bee of who I love.

"'Bety and the Beast': That 'gay moment' may have been much ado about nothg"We didn't want to e across like we're standg on a soapbox, " Johnson adds, notg the scene shows diversy and cln were "owned and held regard" the praised screenwrer Michael Green for craftg the scene "wh licy and simplicy. " Producer Hiram Garcia says the "Jungle Cise" filmmakers never set out to clu a gay character the perd piece.

‘JUNGLE CISE’S’ GAY CHARACTER IS YET ANOTHER BABY STEP FROM DISNEY

"Early reactn to the gay character was mixed, wh one Twter er statg, "Disney will really do anythg to avoid g the word 'gay' s mastream ntent.

JUNGLE CISE'S GAY CHARACTER ISN'T PERFECT, BUT HE'S PROGRS

Johnson is the boat pta, and the woman (Ey Blunt) is acpanied by her utterly wimpy, fear-filled brother (Jack Whehall), who, turns out, is why, oh why, mt the brother be gay?

” As a July 31 USA Today headle announced, “A gay character sparks bate and a reformed Trar Sam emerg Disney's “Jungle Cise.

’”Acrdg to the USA Today article, “Disney has been cricized for the lack of LGBTQ film reprentatn movi, and lled out for blk-or-you'll-miss- gay character moments films such as ‘Bety and the Beast’ and ’Onward.

JUNGLE CISE: DISNEY’S FIRST GAY MA CHARACTER (AND COMG OUT SCENE) EXPLAED

’”And lt there be any misunrstandg, sce the word "gay" is not mentned the scene, MacGregor explas why he, who is anythg but urageo by nature, would follow his sister to such dangero terrory.

A CHARACTER DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE IS GAY, OR SO WE’RE TOLD

And while some olr children might pick up on immediately, is obvly there for the parents and olr, to repeat, other than playg to the negative stereotype of gay men beg prissy, pampered, fearful and weak, nothg is gaed by the gay disclosure. That is unls you believe that Hollywood screenwrers and producers and directors uld only thk of one reason for the brother and sister’s close ti: namely, he was gay and she stood by me a still are the double entendre jok implyg oral and anal sex, aga, somethg that would certaly be missed by younger viewers but providg vulgar gay humor for the adults. Acrdg to the USA Todayarticle, wrten by Bryan Alexanr: “Producer Hiram Garcia says the ‘Jungle Cise’ filmmakers never set out to clu a gay character the perd piece.

’”Y, Alexanr reported, “Early reactn to the gay character was mixed, wh one Twter er statg, ‘Disney will really do anythg to avoid g the word 'gay' s mastream ntent. ”As exprsed by Anna Menta on The Decir:“It’s another step om Disney toward LGBTQ+ reprentatn that feels big the ntext of the opprsively heterosexual rporatn — certaly, ’s an improvement over some of the lghably meangls Disney ‘gay moments’ recent years — but small the ntext of the year 2021.

THE CONTROVERSIAL GAY REPRENTATN IN DISNEY’S “JUNGLE CISE” WAS MEH!

And if you intify as LGBTQ and want to see someone like yourself on the screen, you n readily do , right up to beg a gay or bi or trans would do bt to give up throwg “gay bread cmbs” to their LGBTQ viewers and simply make fay-iendly movi that will not offend the historic moral sensibili of their viewers — unls they have phed most of them away already. It’s another step om Disney toward LGBTQ+ reprentatn that feels big the ntext of the opprsively heterosexual rporatn—certaly, ’s an improvement over some of the lghably meangls Disney “gay moments” recent years—but small the ntext of the year 2021.

McGregor Houghton (Whehall) had already been d as a gay man, somewhat stereotypilly, throughout the film—fsy, effemate, and a ltle too to skre. ) But about an hour to the film, Frank and McGregor share a quiet moment together, which McGregor reveals— so many words— that he recently me out as gay to his fay.

DISNEY INJECTS GAY AGENDA 'JUNGLE CISE' FLICK WH 'PROUD' COMG-OUT SCENE

In 2017, Bety and the Beast director Bill Condon promised an “exclively gay moment a Disney movie, ” which turned out to be a two-send shot of LeFou—as played by Josh Gad—dancg wh a man the film’s fal ball sequence, jt before the creds roll. Two years later, Avengers: Endgame -director Joe Rso revealed the film would feature the Marvel Cematic Universe’s first-ever openly gay character, which turned out to be a random du (played by Rso) g male pronouns to refer to his romantic partner.

Unlike Bety and the Beast, his “gay moment” is an actual, hont-to-God scene that lasts for longer than two sends, and is not thrown at the very end of the film. For once, the filmmakers didn’t proudly announce “Disney’s first gay character” while pattg themselv on the back for “reprentatn.

COMG OUT SCENE JUNGLE CISE WON’T USE WORD 'GAY'

) There’s even a good exce to avoid the word “gay, ” given that Jungle Cise tak place the early 1900s, a time when the term “gay” ually meant feelg happy and nothg more.

VACAYA – GAY & LGBT+ CIS & RORT VATNS REIMAGED

Some may argue—reasonably so—that a movie about a magil tree and ghosts is allowed a gay anachronism or two. Personally, I re ls about hearg the word “gay, ” so much as I re about beg shown that McGregor is actually attracted to men.

'JUNGLE CISE' 'S JACK WHEHALL SAYS HE'S 'PROUD' OF GAY CHARACTER'S COMG-OUT MOMENT FILM

It's a phenomenon so md-bogglgly persistent that 's bee a nng joke onle: Disney keeps announcg, and re-announcg, and re-re-announcg their first-ever gay character. From Bety and the Beast's LeFou to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's blk-and-you'll-miss-them lbians, Disney has e unr some unrstandable fire for their apparent abily to produce a film wh a gay character of substance — until Jungle Cise. Though when the film was first announced, many were skeptil that Jack Whehall's purportedly gay character the actn-adventure flick would jt be another name to add to the baker's dozen of so-lled "first" gay characters, but what dienc were treated to stead broke the mold: a nfirmed queer character wh signifint screentime and a substantial scene explicly acknowledgg his sexualy (even if the label is unattached).

Though Jungle Cise's McGregor Houghton certaly isn't a perfect attempt as far as gay reprentatn Disney films go, he's a step (albe a small one) the right directn — and that's somethg worth talkg about. When news broke that Brish standup edian Jack Whehall had joed the st of Jungle Cise and would be playg Disney's first major gay character, the cisn received signifint cricism and phback om fans and crics alike. Many were quick to qutn the mers of a not-gay actor playg a gay role — a ntroversial but not entirely damng move.

12 TOP GAY CIS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS 2023 AND 2024

The cisn to make Jungle Cise's gay character f this mold, which has an unfortunate number of overlappg tras wh historilly damagg pictns of gay men, is still one that rais qutns of the film's ias of gay men and masculy.

In that ntext, Whehall isn't cidg to make this character choice for the first time and for the sole purpose of brgg to life a gay character.

DISNEY'S 'JUNGLE CISE' HAS COMG OUT SCENE WH OPENLY GAY CHARACTER

As many a headle has noted, though, the film skirts around McGregor actually tellg Frank "I'm gay, " stead optg for a more perd-appropriate assurance that "My terts happily lie elsewhere. " At the same time, though, 's worth notg that such verbiage ntu Disney's trend of reprentatn that clears the "we have a gay character" thrhold while still remag palatable for nservative viewers and foreign markets wh anti-LGBTQ+ legislatn.

Although Disney mt ntue improvg s LGBTQ+ reprentatn, Jungle Cise is a clear step forward wh s first openly gay ma character. The word "gay" is never said, as is expected for a rerved, upper class Brish man 1916, but the nversatn mak MacGregor’s sexualy clear. The rather tastels joke, and Frank’s clear disfort, effectively eras the moment of support the two shared before and 's pound by a few more double entendre jok built around subtle gay panic.

This blk-and-you’ll-miss- moment, which neverthels garnered much ntroversy, was meant to imply Josh Gad's LeFou is gay, but ’s only ever implied.

‘JUNGLE CISE’ STAR JACK WHEHALL IS ‘PROUD’ OF HIS GAY CHARACTER’S COMG-OUT SCENE DISNEY FILM

Lackg a love tert, or any real way to celebrate his sexualy, only furthers the implitn that beg gay is somethg disgraceful or wrong.

DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE GO FAR ENOUGH WH S GAY REPRENTATN?

So often, g out scen are amed as unveilg a shameful secret, like when Stranger Thgs’ Rob tearfully rejects Steve and nfs she's gay (though he easily accepts the fact she is a lbian). At this pot I feel like we should have a boilerplate article pre-wrten to fill as need: “Disney character X is gay as evinced one blk-and-you miss scene/reference/throwaway le that n be easily excised for ternatnal markets.

When Whehall was st as McGregor Houghton 2018, was announced wh fanfare that McGregor would be Disney’s “first gay character, ” a tle a dozen other characters have been given before and sce wh vanishg returns. While he don’t e the word “gay, ” he says he broke off three engagements wh women bee his “terts happily lay elsewhere.

It’s not strange that McGregor wouldn’t say “gay”—the movie is set the early 20th century, and that word didn’t emerge as a fn embraced by gay men until the 1960s.

WHY DID DISNEY’S JUNGLE CISE HAVE TO GO GAY?

” As our Briana Lawrence wrote her brilliant article back May, “Congratulatns to Disney’s 7th Openly Gay Character“(we were talkg about Cella then), so often the prs blz around the apparent cln of queer characters is “a chance for the bare mimum to get a pat on the back. ” Once aga the same old story is happeng wh Whehall’s McGregor, wh Slashfilm’s headle readg, “‘Jungle Cise’ Star Jack Whehall on Playg Disney’s First Major Gay Character” while Pk News is tired of the sp and their headle is “Disney slammed for fallg short yet aga wh Jack Whehall’s gay Jungle Cise character. After facg years of ntroversy regardg s gay reprentatn, Disney’s Jungle Cise fally got a theatril and Disney+ Premiere Accs release the US on July 30, 2021.

DISNEY SLAMMED FOR FALLG SHORT YET AGA WH JACK WHEHALL’S GAY JUNGLE CISE CHARACTER

I wrote about Disney stg a straight actor, Jack Whehall, to play a possibly stereotypil gay role Jungle Cise back Augt of 2018. Anyway, now that the movie has been released, what type of queer reprentatn, specifilly the gay type, did Jungle Cise offer? In ntrast, Downton Abbey, set the same era as Jungle Cise, has done a far better job of givg a gay lead character wh Thomas Barrow.

Even though the characters didn’t e the term “gay” due to the time perd, at least, many of them were clearly aware of Thomas likg men. All all, you n go ahead and nsir the so-lled gay reprentatn Jungle Cise as another baby step for the Hoe of Moe when to showsg queer reprentatn on the big screen.