For a company that loves to participate in Pride month, The Walt Disney sure does not take a lot of pride in telling LGBTQ+ stories. Or at least that’s the message it’s sending with its decision to remove an entire arc about a transgender character in its upcoming series Win or Lose.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the character is still in the show. However, lines of dialogue referencing their gender identity have been completely removed. The decision was reportedly made months ago, and in a statement to THR, the House of Mouse said that the reason was because the studio did not want to be responsible for presenting certain ideas to its young fanbase.
“When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline,” the statement reads.
And this isn’t the first time the studio has deliberately chosen to remove LGBTQ+ content from an animated project. Many might recall the decision to edit out a same-sex kiss in the 2022 Pixar film Lightyear.
Ironically, the studio has not shied away from LGTBQ+ representation in some of its other non-animated projects. Most recently, in the acclaimed Agatha All Along, a same sex relationship between Kathryn Hahn’s titular witch and Aubrey Plaza’s character was on full display.
READ: ‘Cars 4’ in The Works at Pixar?
So far, it appears that the company is only concerned with the presence of LGBTQ+ culture in animated projects. However, such a concern is cowardly because it places a misguided precedent that only children are tuning into its animated output. It ignores the fact that animation is for everyone, and has just as much power to tell meaningful stories as every other medium.
The most ironic part of all? Who knew that a show called Win or Lose would expose how much the studio has lost touch with its audience…
Win or Lose reveals what it actually feels like to be in the shoes of eight different characters in the week leading up to the big game—the insecure kids, their helicopter parents, even a lovesick umpire—with incredibly funny, very emotional and uniquely animated perspectives.
Featuring the voice of Will Forte as the coach, Win or Lose is directed, written and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced David Lally.
Win Or Lose will debut on February 19th, 2025.
SOURCE: THR
