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Credit: Pixar
The Pixar series Win or Lose hasn’t even debuted on Disney+, but it has already generated plenty of controversy. The eight-episode series follows a co-ed softball team as it prepares for a championship game, with each episode focusing on one player.
As a part of the story, Pixar included a transgender athlete competing in softball. However, Disney ordered Pixar to change the storyline and remove the transgender athlete.
In a statement, Disney said:
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.
After the news broke that Disney had removed the storyline, animators at Pixar spoke out about the decision, calling it a “gut punch” and another saying that they “cried in their office” after it happened. Despite the storyline being cut, parts of the episode featuring the transgender athlete leaked online.
Despite the outcry from the LGBTQ+ community over Disney’s decision, some parents applauded Disney for removing the storyline to keep them from having difficult discussions with their children.
Nicole Russell, an opinion columnist for USA Today and mother of four, wrote:
As a parent of four children who has watched zillions of movies with my kids, I appreciate this. Most parents aren’t keen on controversial storylines in a film that’s supposed to be fun or uplifting. If there’s a joke or two in there for parents, all the better.
Disney knows that more than a few parents will be upset if they plop their child in front of Disney+ on a sick day only to hear their first grader ask later what it means to be transgender.
However, Russell also notes that Disney’s decision had little to do with saving parents from tough conversations or morality. It was a business decision.
Like other companies, Disney has noticed a decided shift to the right in American politics and culture. After the economy, those who voted for Donald Trump listed transgender athletes in women’s sports as one of their top issues.
With Trump in the White House for the next four years, audiences can expect more decisions like this from Disney and other entertainment companies. If Russell’s opinion is any indication, some parents are just okay with that.