When working for a big company, it can be difficult for some people to feel as though they’re being heard. One could argue that there are scarcely any companies quite as big as Disney, so that feeling is probably multiplied exponentially when faced with such an imposing monolith. But sometimes, all it takes is patience, determination, and a whole bunch of angry employees, as this news aboutPixar’sLightyearproves.
Even after theircritically-acclaimed new filmTurning Redhas been proving a success in its own right, Disney has been in a bit of hot water lately regarding the court of public opinion. Aside from the company’s unfortunate political spending habits, the people in charge also recently received a statement from employees and allies atPixarAnimation Studios condemning their erasure of LGBTQ+ scenes and content over the years. Some might not expect something like that to bear much fruit, but it looks as though some positive change might be coming.
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According to Variety,Pixar’s upcoming prequel/spinoff/somethingLightyearwill have a previously removed same-sex kiss scene restored in the wake of Disney’s recent turbulent PR situation. The film stars Chris Evans as the in-universe “real life” inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear space ranger figure seen in theToy Storyfilms, and it features a significant female character who is unambiguously shown to be in a relationship with another woman. The studio originally planned a scene where Hawthorne, the character in question (played by Uzo Aduba), kisses her partner. But Disney apparently made them cut it.
However, likely thanks to the fallout of Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s tone-deaf reaction toFlorida’s destructive “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the scene has now been restored to the film. The statement from Pixar’s employees also appears to have played a big role in this change, calling out years of active suppression of “overtly gay affection” in Disney feature films whenever the filmmakers themselves attempted to add more inclusive elements. This inclusion inLightyearcould very well set an important precedent for the future of Disney.
Many have likely heard the stories of how Disney removesLGBTQ+ content from their films, or reduces it to the point where they can conveniently remove those elements for releases in far less tolerant territories. According to many employees of both Disney and Pixar, those stories may be closer to truth than fiction. While the reasoning behind the suppression may vary depending on who’s telling the tale, the fact that Disney has actively held back more diverse depictions of people in the LGBTQ+ community is difficult to deny.
However, now thatLightyearwill supposedly feature a same-sex kiss scene, it could mark a significantmilestone for LGBTQ+ representationin more family-friendly media. Sure, PG-13 and R-rated movies see plenty of inclusivity. But now that level of acceptance has a chance to finally extend its reach. Kids deserve to see people like them in the media they watch, and that applies to all kids of every race, orientation, and gender identity.
