Disney, once an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community at its own peril, has dramatically pulled back from anything controversial. After critics accused Disney of being “woke” for speaking out against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, the company has now swung in the complete opposite direction, and LGBTQ+ advocates have taken notice.

Win or Lose Pixar
Credit: Disney/Pixar

Late last year, Disney forced Pixar to remove a transgender storyline from the Disney+ show Win or Lose. Originally, the character Kai was meant to be transgender, but instead, Disney chose to nix that storyline and keep the character as a female.

The backlash against Disney was immediate, with Pixar animators calling it a “gut punch.” However, some parents applauded Disney’s decision to remove the storyline to prevent them from having tough conversations with their children.

However, Disney now finds itself in more trouble with the LGBTQ+ community. Last week, Disney tweeted a benign post promoting the final two episodes of the season, including the episode featuring Kai.

Pixar allowed responses to the tweet, which were mostly positive about the show. However, LGBTQ activists noticed that the social media team was hiding responses that mentioned Kai being transgender or anything related to the LGBTQ community. One post was hidden for including a pride flag in it.

Use found the hidden responses under the “hidden replies” tab, which shows that Disney/Pixar was actively trying to keep these posts from users.

Animated character wearing a baseball cap, green and white uniform, and glove, looking up while standing on a baseball field. The character looks surprised as a softball falls near their feet. The backdrop, reminiscent of a Pixar project, includes an outfield fence and trees.
Credit: Pixar

Once user realized their replies were hidden, they bombarded the account with responses. One user wrote:

Add it back. You cowards. Hide this reply if you think trans people aren’t valid, and that they do deserve the suffering they’re going through. 

Disney CEO Bob Iger has said that he wants Disney to stay out of politics. He believes its foray into the political arena has cost the company money, which would help explain Disney’s dramatic shift to the right in recent months. 

Tim Allen and Kat Dennings in ABC's Shifting Gears
Credit: Screenshot, ‘Shifting Gears’, ABC

Disney found success with the Tim Allen sitcom Shifting Gears and included a Christian character in Win or Lose to show the right that Disney could be trusted again.

However, that transition has alienated people on the other side, putting Disney in a no-win situation.

What do you think of Disney hiding angry replies about its show? 

The post The Transgender Community Accuses Disney of Shutting Down Dissent Over ‘Win or Lose’ appeared first on Inside the Magic.

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