We've heard some complaints about children's television. Last year, the New York Times did a piece slamming "Bluey" for having a "weirdly present" cartoon father. Before that, they tried to cancel "Paw Patrol," with one criminology professor saying that the “No job is too big, no pup is too small” message often quoted on the show ignores structural barriers in our society. “I just think that as time goes on, children might be less likely to critique the capitalist system that causes environmental harm in the first place and reproduces inequality,” wrote Liam Kennedy in the journal “Crime Media Culture.”
Now it looks as though Disney has buckled to capitalist pressure and decided to cancel a transgender storyline in the Pixar streaming series, "Win or Lose."
Disney Pulls Transgender Storyline from Pixar’s 'Win or Lose' Streaming Series (Exclusive) https://t.co/GJc0Y69AZZ
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 17, 2024
Pamela McClintock writes that the show isn't set to debut on Disney+ until February, but they've scrapped a transgender storyline.
Pixar’s original animated series "Win or Lose" will no longer include a transgender storyline in a later episode, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The series follows a co-ed middle school softball team named the Pickles in the week leading up to their championship game. Each of the eight episodes center on the off-the-field life of a character and their point of view, whether it be a player, a parent, a coach or an umpire.
A spokesperson for Disney confirmed that the story arc was removed and provided the following statement to THR: “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 character remains in the show, but a few lines of dialogue that referenced gender identity are being removed. A source close to "Win or Lose" said the studio made the decision to alter course several months ago.
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Is Disney finally getting it? When it comes to sexual content, many parents would rather discuss that with their children "on their own terms and timeline." That's crazy!
Let's see if Disney employees start crying and walk off the job over this news as they did over Florida's Parental Rights in Education Bill, referred to in the media as "Don't Say Gay."
Common sense returning to the world.
— Chris Hughes (@happyhughes2001) December 17, 2024
Fire the person who decided to put it in there next
— Kyle Raccio (@kyleraccio) December 17, 2024
It's almost like this crap has been purposely put into children's content and now there is a backlash.
— Jerry Grey🐊 (@Jerry__Grey) December 17, 2024
It's so important to the story, obviously, that they can just pull it.
Huge win
— Chris G (@ChrisGThree4) December 17, 2024
Back in 2022, Disney held an all-hands Zoom meeting to try to calm employees triggered by the fact that Disney hadn't voiced its opposition to the "Don't Say Gay" bill earlier than it had. On the call, executive producer Latoya Raveneau said her team had implemented a "not-at-all-secret gay agenda" and was regularly "adding queerness" to children's programming.
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