Disney Pixar has unveiled its first overtly Christian character in nearly two decades, introduced in the same animated series from which a trans storyline was recently removed.
Many see this decision as a clear signal of Disney’s shifting priorities. Coupled with the company’s recent statement that it will scale back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, it appears that Disney—long criticized by conservatives for its opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law—is now responding to conservative pressures.
The series in question, Win or Lose, centers on a middle school softball team. While the 14-year-old character originally portrayed as transgender remains in the series, all references to gender identity have been removed. The trans actress who voiced the character expressed her disappointment upon learning that the trans storyline had been cut.
“When it comes to animated content aimed at younger audiences, we understand that many parents prefer to address certain topics with their children on their own terms and timelines,” a Disney spokesperson explained at the time.
However, this sentiment seems not to apply to Christianity. In the series’ opening episode, viewers are introduced to Laurie, a character who opens with a prayer to the “heavenly father.” Her introduction takes place amid ongoing political discourse in which figures like Donald Trump and the Republican party have targeted the trans community, often using Christianity as justification, while simultaneously claiming that Christians face persecution due to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
LGBTQ Nation has reached out to Disney for comments regarding Laurie’s introduction.
This is not the only instance where Disney has removed a trans storyline. In November, an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which focused on a trans classmate supported by her teammates after being removed from a girls’ volleyball team by her coach, was shelved. A Disney spokesperson clarified that this decision was based on the episode itself, rather than the character’s trans identity, and emphasized that the episode was not “banned” but merely “held.”
Disney has, over the years, made several efforts to support LGBTQ+ individuals. In 1996, the company began offering health care benefits to the domestic partners of LGBTQ+ employees. Its theme park, Disney World, has also hosted the unofficial annual “Gay Days,” where LGBTQ+ fans gather, often wearing red t-shirts.
In 2019, Disney launched its first official Pride event, Disneyland Paris Pride, followed by the announcement of its inaugural U.S.-based Pride event, Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite in 2023, at Disneyland California. Both events featured Pride-themed parades, activities, and merchandise.
In 2022, Disney pledged a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Pride merchandise to benefit several LGBTQ+ organizations, including GLSEN, PFLAG, The Trevor Project, Zebra Coalition, Los Angeles LGBT Center, LGBT Center Orange County, San Francisco LGBT Center, and Ali Forney Center. Additionally, in international markets, proceeds from Pride gear supported local LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Disney has a history of queer-coded villains in its animated films, many of whom have since been embraced as campy LGBTQ+ icons of subversion and defiance.
To date, Disney’s animated films have featured only one explicitly LGBTQ+ character—Ethan Clade, a gay environmentalist teenager in Strange World (2022), who openly acknowledges his attraction to another boy.
In terms of television, Disney’s offerings have generally been more inclusive. For example, a 2014 episode of Good Luck Charlie featured a lesbian couple as secondary characters, while a 2017 episode of Doc McStuffins introduced a pair of lesbian mothers.
The 2016 finale of Gravity Falls revealed that two police officers were in a romantic relationship, although series creator Alex Hirsch accused Disney of removing LGBTQ+ content throughout the show’s production.
A 2019 episode of Star vs. the Forces of Evil included a same-sex kiss in the background. That same year, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder featured Michael Collins, a character who came out as gay and gender non-conforming.
In May 2022, The Owl House showcased a same-sex kiss between Luz Noceda and Amity Blight, alongside a romantic storyline involving the female witch Eda Clawthorne and the nonbinary bard Rain Whispers. The show’s bisexual creator, Dana Terrace, revealed that she had to fight for LGBTQ+ representation throughout the series.
