A Brief Timele of Disney's 17 'First Gay Characters'

Contents:

• IT'S NOT JT FROZEN: MOST DISNEY MOVI ARE PRO-GAY
• DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS
• DISNEY FILM FEATURG GAY MA CHARACTER BOMBS AT BOX OFFICE
• VICTORIA ALONSO CLASHED WH MARVEL OVER BLURRG GAY PRI REFERENC ‘ANT-MAN 3’ FOR KUWA (EXCLIVE)
• 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 POPULARNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLCHRIS MURPHY
• REPORT: DISNEY TO INCLU GAY RELATNSHIP IN LIGHTYEAR MOVIE
• DISNEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ADMS TO ‘GAY AGENDA,’ ‘ADDG QUEERNS’ WHEREVER SHE COULD
• DISNEY'S 8 'FIRST OPENLY GAY' CHARACTERS, RANKED (BY HOW EMBARRASSED DISNEY SHOULD FEEL)

IT'S NOT JT FROZEN: MOST DISNEY MOVI ARE PRO-GAY

Updated on June 7th, 2022 by Danielle Bnti: In the wake of Florida's extremely ntroversial "Don't Say Gay" bill and the strong cricism that me om wh The Walt Disney Company for not speakg up, seems like Disney is fally unrstandg out important LGBTQ+ reprentatn is for s fans and s st members. Artie is able to be his thentic self and actor John McCrea is happy wh his portrayal of Artie and believ him to be a gay character, but Disney yet aga ma the mistake of not fully lvg to Artie beg an openly gay character. Certa groups are upset at the ia of a children's movie reprentg the LGBTQ+ muny while progrsiv are upset at Jack Whehall's stg, believg a gay actor should be st, and the ia that might be a stereotypil, harmful reprentatn.

DISNEY ACCED OF REMOVG GAY NTENT OM PIXAR FILMS

The show's creator and executive producer Terri Msky said that Cys and his story were largely spired by Terri's dghter's iends, who knew that they were gay middle school. Elsa hidg her ice-powers uld be read as a metaphor for the closet, the Osr-wng “Let Go” plays like a g-out anthem, and a character the film evok the qutn of whether homosexualy is a choice by quirg of Elsa’s powers, “born wh or cursed? Through both s rporate practic and the ntent of s films, Disney for s has implemented the so-lled "gay agenda"—which is to say, helpg make the world a more acceptg start the most obv place: As a bs, Disney has long held a progrsive attu toward LGBT people.

Gay pri events have been hosted at Disney World sce 1991, and the pany started offered s gay employe health surance benefs for their partners sce 1995, a cisn that wasn’t entirely popular back of the most poignant exampl of the pany’s tolerant atmosphere is the se of lyricist Howard Ashman, who was openly gay and died of AIDS 1991. In this way, even though Disney films ually offer a tradnal happy endg wh a heterosexual marriage, the journey always volv rejectg parental and societal expectatns, and exercisg a “eedom to marry whomever you love” spir that is enmic to gay, many Disney romanc are exampl of “impossible sire, ” a trope that is ccial to the queer experience, as genr-studi theorist Heather Love argued Feelg Backward. (Image cred: Walt Disney Studs)Disney’s “First Gay Moment” It would not be until 2017 that we got anythg remblg an overt reference to anythg other than a straight character a movie om Disney.

(Image cred: Marvel Studs)The Mor Mentns Concurrently wh the background scen that you might not have even noticed, we saw the first direct referenc to gay characters some other Disney movi. The at least had the benef of beg characters who were the center of the ame and liverg dialogue, though they were also mor characters who viewers were likely to fet about Stud’s “first gay character” appeared Avengers: Endgame, and was played by one of the move's directors, Joe Rso. (Image cred: Disney)2021 - The Year Of Actual Gay Characters In Disney Movi Disney still has a long way to go when to LGBTQ+ reprentatn s films, but 2021 was at least a signifint step forward as we saw three films where signifint characters who were important to the stori beg told were queer.

DISNEY FILM FEATURG GAY MA CHARACTER BOMBS AT BOX OFFICE

That would seem to dite the gay scene was cut, as Cha ually do not allow such ntent the movi releas, but I have been unable to nfirm that, so 's possible the scene stayed .

Intertgly, the word is that the scene was origally cut om the Chris Evans-led movie before beg add back followg the aftermath the ongog battle between Disney and Florida over the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

VICTORIA ALONSO CLASHED WH MARVEL OVER BLURRG GAY PRI REFERENC ‘ANT-MAN 3’ FOR KUWA (EXCLIVE)

Conservative groups have urged a boytt of Disney over news that the fay-iendly stud would feature s first "exclively gay moment" the live-actn remake of Bety and the Beast. Rsia further announced that Bety and the Beast will be rated 16+ over ncerns that the adaptatn would vlate the untry's "gay propaganda" backlash is overblown for a number of reasons. Le Fou might be the first character that Disney has openly regnized as beg gay, but that don't mean LGBT people haven't been there all From Harper's BAZAARDisneySean Griff lerally wrote the book on the gay history of Disney.

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 POPULARNEW ON NETFLIX: SEPTEMBER 2023'S BT NEW MOVI & SHOWSBY CHRIS MURPHYAND JT LIKE THAT… HERE’S WHAT WE NEED SEASON 3BY HILLARY BISOUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLCHRIS MURPHY

"Le Fou might be the first character that Disney has openly regnized as beg gay, but that don't mean LGBT people haven't been there all those unfaiar, there's a subtle difference between those two phras.

REPORT: DISNEY TO INCLU GAY RELATNSHIP IN LIGHTYEAR MOVIE

In the 1948 film, actors Farley Granger and John Dall (both of whom were gay men) played a pair so nvced of their abily to pull off the perfect murr that they ve iends to their apartment to throw a dner party at the scene of the crime. A PSA-style tnal film shown public schools the 1950s, "Boys Beware, " warned that some gay men "rort to vlence" to prey on young boys public rtrooms and public parks.

" Asi om a pronounced lisp, Thorpe tells that a number of characteristics send the msage that there's somethg a ltle b off about characters like Jafar, the villa of 1992's Aladd, and Sr, the antagonist of 1994's The Ln "For s, Disney films have rerced the stereotype that gay men are bad bee not only do they scheme and enact mischief upon the good characters, but they are also bad bee they don't nform to cultural norms of genr, " Thorpe explas a phone terview.

" Even as the stud was makg films that their villas as subtextually queer, produced 1991's Bety and the Beast, which was spearhead by a gay man, executive producer and lyricist Howard Ashman.

DISNEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ADMS TO ‘GAY AGENDA,’ ‘ADDG QUEERNS’ WHEREVER SHE COULD

The backlash to Le Fou's sexualy might suggt that the stud has fally ught up to the tim by portrayg an out-and-proud gay man on screen, but the cisn is as progrsive as is the origal film, Le Fou isn't gay.

DisneyLe Fou fally gets his "big moment" at the end, but may not satisfy eher LGBT dienc hopg the stud would exorcise s anti-gay mons or crics worried Disney is phg a "gay agenda. Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) and Cta Kaz (Varada Sethu) Andor, (Image cred: Disney Pl)Jungle CiseJungle Cise was so, so, so close to almost havg a character say the words "I'm gay" on screen. (Image cred: Disney+)CellaSure, we might have roasted Disney a ty b our Cella review for once aga pattg themselv on the back for their "first" out gay character (for the seventh time) and not even havg the cency to do anythg beyond an implic gay scriptn.

Bex puts a ser damper on Andi and her iends' fun which tak a toll on her first year as a Goodman, one of Andi's bt iends, ma history as the first Disney character to ever say the words "I'm gay, " out loud on televisn.

DISNEY'S 8 'FIRST OPENLY GAY' CHARACTERS, RANKED (BY HOW EMBARRASSED DISNEY SHOULD FEEL)

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 .