The character, Officer Specter, will be voiced by Lena Waithe. None other than our Disney favourite, Tinkerbell. It's definitely heartening to see the diverse array of LGBTQ representation in children’s television, especially when it comes hand–in–hand with other forms of diversity. However, out of the hundreds of Disney characters, there has to be some who simply haven’t come out publicly yet. While he might not technically be LGBT, he could be another drag sensation. PBS made headlines this year after one of the main characters in its long running series Arthur, Mr. Ratburn, married his partner Patrick. The little gorilla rejects gender roles and has no interest in boys. According to media advocacy group GLAAD, Walt Disney … Characters meant for the enjoyment of children should not suffer for their identities, because young children are watching what may be their first encounter with queer identity. LeFou, from the 2017 live–action remake of Beauty and the Beast was supposed to be Disney’s first “openly” gay character, but there was nothing in the actual film confirming his identity. She’s getting real! The stereotypical character has been assumed to be gay but it was not a well-received archetype. English comic Jack Whitehall is reportedly set to play Disney’s first ever major gay character on the big screen. For example, Disney's Finding Dory (2016) briefly depicts a lesbian couple in one It should never fall back on stereotypes or homophobic and transphobic punchlines. Disney announces first official LGBTQ character in an animated feature in upcoming film Onward. Funny, flamboyant, and certainly over the top, the pair often provide the majority of the comic relief in a film that has its fair share of depressing … In an interview with the always-wonderful Tyler Oakley on his Ellen Digital Network show, both Elsa voice actor Idina Menzel and her co-star Kristen Bell, who is the voice actress for sister Anna, spoke about the lesbian theory. That’s not to say there isn’t hope for Disney entertainment—in 2017, the live–action Disney channel show Andi Mack had a celebrated coming out storyline for … Netflix’s She–Ra and the Princesses of Power continues in this vein of female–centric, unabashedly queer storytelling. In 2014, Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra continued as the first western children’s animated show to have an LGBT protagonist. These characters span some of the most popular Disney movies, such as Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The … It was the first mainstream animated film featuring a gay main character. Have you ever noticed how Mount Everest 'firsts' get … The animation giant’s upcoming flick Onward will feature the first animated LGBTQ character to exist in the Disney-Pixar universe. Disney, despite being a juggernaut in media production, has hardly made a dent in LGBTQ representation with its original children’s content. And the answer? A character's LGBTQ identity should be integrated as a casual part of the show's world and a small part of a character's greater story arc or identity—not as a vehicle for conflict. When Finding Dory released a trailer in 2016 showing two women with a toddler, many assumed this would be a lesbian couple, a groundbreaking achievement for Disney. Fans saw something queer in her and it’s since been heavily rumoured that Elsa is a lesbian with hit song “Let it Go” becoming a coming out anthem. Which Disney characters are LGBT? His sharp facial features resemble drag makeup, his lean physique (as compared to the beefy Mufasa) emasculate him and his voice is beyond sassy. Ellen paved the way for future LGBTQ characters, including Cyrus Goodman (Joshua Rush) who became the first main character to come out as gay on Disney Channel on Andi Mack in 2019. Join us as we list beloved characters that might be part of the rainbow family. This is a definite implication that he’s in a same-sex relationship. There is a definite lack of gay Disney characters but there have been many hints that characters are LGBT in previous movies. If that’s not enough, the character’s also voiced by LGBT icon Rosie O’Donnell. Children aren't following these shows or films off–screen, nor are they analyzing their media for its underlying subtext. + Follow In fact, the US feminist magazine Ms accused the film of “careless sexism,” with writer Natalie Wilson arguing that it may damage children. (Photo by Disney) Perhaps a surprising one on our list, Scar is one of the star examples of a “coded gay” character, among many viewers. ... Disney … But there is yet to be an openly gay main Disney character. Shows such as Nickelodeon’s The Loud House and Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time have also integrated LGBTQ representation, showing same–sex parenting and bisexual representation, respectively. Then, Menzel was asked who she thinks Elsa would date if she was indeed gay. It’s sounding like there may be some internal conflict going on at Disney. Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe too broke barriers with its LGBTQ representation. Disney’s animated shows Gravity Falls and Star vs The Forces Of Evil have also given us LGBTQ representation, with Gravity Falls confirming that two male characters where in fact a couple and The Forces of Evil had a scene featuring of various couples (including same-sex ones couples) kissing. Disney uses LGBTQ representation to drum up interest, but ultimately forces its audiences to draw its own conclusions. LGBT+ fans want Elsa to be given a girlfriend. The creators of The Lion King left clues throughout the film that hinted to the villain’s sexuality. Officer Specter is a Cyclops cop voiced by openly gay screenwriter and actress Lena Waithe . She may not be queer, but Ursula is definitely influenced by LGBT culture. From his fabulous outfits to bright attitude, he definitely represents the queer within the LGBT community, and we love him. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Some of your favorite Disney Channel stars are also proud members of the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community. Deputy Durland and Sheriff Blubs are two minor characters from the show who had fans curious about their personal lives. Another rumoured gay Disney character. Its movies reinvented fairy tales and stories from legend and literature. Enter your email to receive a daily roundup of the top LGBT+ news stories. She–Ra and the Princesses of Power is not only a princess show but a superhero show too, and it shows children that queer identity can be celebrated in both of these genres. In 2012, Laika Films released ParaNorman. Andi Mack’s Cyrus casually comes out . It’s a historic moment for Disney, which for years has been called out for its dearth of identifiably LGBTQ characters in its films. There’s a confirmed same–sex couple in Zootopia and a canonical gay character in How to Train Your Dragon 3, both extremely popular films. In the 1990s, more LGBTQ characters began to be depicted in animated series. Perhaps a surprising one on our list, Scar is one of the star examples of a “coded gay” character, among many viewers. Showing a same–sex couple on screen for one second to get representation brownie points is not good representation. If you're writing LGBTQ media in good faith, helping that child should be your ultimate goal, and nothing should stop you from achieving it. Disney-Pixar’s upcoming film, Onward, recently announced that one of the film’s characters self-identifies as an LGBTQ+ individual.The character, known as Officer Specter, shows up halfway through the film and briefly mentions her relationship; she also states that her “girlfriend’s daughter is pulling her hair out” after an encounter with the film’s main characters. Disney uses LGBTQ representation to drum up interest, but ultimately forces its audiences to draw its own conclusions. Anyway, let’s move on from the whole Finding Dory fiasco and focus instead on our list of 15 Disney Characters You Didn’t Know Were LGBTQ. Whether they identify as gay, bisexual, … The more of these canon queer relationships and characters we see, the less it becomes a big deal, so YAY for representation and thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Finally, LGBTQ representation needs to be clear and confirmed on–screen. The creative team behind the film did not confirm or deny this assumption, letting it remain ambiguous. In the film, he says “Hello, family!”, and his family peek out of his sauna… there is an adult man and four children. Some of the most prominent series during this decade which features LGBTQ+ characters were Sailor Moon, South Park, King of the Hill, Cardcaptor Sakura and Futurama. If you can replace a given character with a lamp, they're not well–written. These days, Disney has certainly been upping its game in regards to LGBTQ representation. Disney repeatedly continues this pattern with its LGBTQ representation, leaving it as ambiguous, brief, and noncommittal as possible. The Walt Disney Company has been one of the premier film and animation studios for almost nine decades. 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