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Credit: DisneyOn Tuesday, an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Pixar has caved to so-called “concerned parents” and removed a transgender storyline from its upcoming television series, Win or Lose.
Win or Lose will premiere on Disney+ on February 19, 2025. The much-delayed eight-episode series follows a co-ed middle school softball team named the “Pickles” as they prepare for a championship game. Each episode focuses on one character’s story, rotating between players, coaches, parents, and umpires.
A spokesperson for The Walt Disney Company told The Hollywood Reporter that while one of the series’ later episodes was set to feature a transgender storyline, the studio decided to cut it a few months ago. The character will remain in the show, but “a few lines of dialogue” that referenced gender identity were removed.
“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 Disney spokesperson said.
The representative reportedly refused to comment further on the change.
In the last few years, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar have faced backlash for cutting and including LGBTQIA+ characters in their films. In 2022, Pixar reportedly cut a gay scene from Turning Red (2022) and almost removed a lesbian kiss from Lightyear (2022). Pixar’s Strange World (2022) featured the studio’s first openly gay teenage lead.
Also in 2022, former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known colloquially as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
His comments and subsequent pausing of political campaign donations in the Sunshine State led to the Mouse’s ongoing feud with Governor Ron DeSantis, who dissolved a special district controlled by Walt Disney World Resort since 1967.
The Walt Disney Company lost its lawsuit against DeSantis over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and controlled by a state-appointed board. It later resumed donating to political campaigns in Florida.
What do you think of Pixar removing the transgender storyline from Win or Lose? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments.