Disney removed a character’s transgender-themed storyline from an upcoming animated series out of deference to parents who prefer to address such a subject within the family. The character’s voice actor, who self-identifies as transgender, expressed being “disheartened” by Disney’s decision — although some see the decision as marking a welcome cultural shift and a change in corporate conduct.
The Pixar animated series Win or Lose follows a middle-school softball team preparing for a championship game. The series is set to premiere on Disney+ in February, 2025. Initially, the show featured a character who identified as transgender, although Disney has now removed references to the character’s gender identity.
“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,” a Disney spokesperson told the Hollywood Reporter. An unnamed source told the Hollywood Reporter that decisions to change the character were made months ago.
“Disney’s decision to remove the transgender character from the storyline of one show is one symptom of a broader corporate walk-back from the LGBTQ+ agenda,” Erika Ahern, an associate editor for CatholicVote, told National Review. “Coupled with other decisions — like the complete re-make of Woke Snow White this year — it indicates that the entertainment industry may yet be redeemable. There’s a long way to go, but this is a small win.”
Leaked draft material from the Win or Lose series suggests that there were plans for a scene where the character struggles to decide which single-sex bathroom to enter. The character enters the women’s restroom, then experiences distress when looking in the mirror and seeing a distorted, masculine reflection. (Disney did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.)
Chanel Stewart, the character’s voice actor, learned of the role at age 14 in 2020 while scrolling through social media and seeing a post that mentioned Pixar was looking for “an authentic, 14-year-old transgender girl to voice a transgender teenager,” Deadline reported. A Disney affiliate called Stewart’s mother on Monday night and stated that the animated series would no longer feature the character’s transgender-themed storyline. Stewart stated that Disney confirmed the character would remain in the series, although will be presented as a “straight cis girl.”
Stewart, who identifies as transgender and is now 18 years old, responded to Disney’s decision with disappointment.
“I was very disheartened,” Stewart told Deadline. “From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”
Stewart’s mother, Keisha, suggested some parents are unwilling to discuss transgenderism with their children and described Disney’s decision as a “setback for the LGBTQ community.”
“There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented,” Keisha told Deadline. “Everyone deserves to be recognized.”
The Board of the LGB Alliance USA, an organization that describes gender-related medical transitioning as “a new form of conversion therapy,” expressed support for Disney’s statement and noted that “parents play a crucial role in educating their children about transgender identities.”
“Many parents want to have the opportunity to discuss gender on their own terms because children are being pressured by peers to consider transitioning as the cure for all their ailments including social awkwardness, puberty, and anxiety. In reality, time is what’s needed for kids to accept their bodies and corresponding natal sex,” the Board of the LGB Alliance USA wrote to National Review in an email. The organization further stated that parents can push their children towards gender-related treatments, noting that “having a trans-identified child can be viewed as trendy in some social circles.”
To some, Disney’s decision indicates a cultural shift and a corporate retreat from progressive messaging.
“The tide is most certainly turning on transinsanity’s assault on children,” Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, director of the Conscience Project, told National Review. “Two additional points are worth noting here: that companies continue to untangle their relationships with progressive ideologies and (perhaps most importantly) that parents’ rightful role in the formation and education of their children has been reaffirmed.”
“We welcome this move by Disney, which is on trend with the push from other major corporations away from the DEI model that has failed them,” the Board of LGB Alliance USA stated. “The fact that Disney has made this move is monumental given the corporation’s standing and brand recognition around the world. We are hopeful that this shift signals that the house of cards is finally falling around gender ideology.”