The little breeze of progress that has been blowing through Hollywood in recent years already seems to be weakening. The recent electoral victory of Donald Trump is no stranger to this and the decision-makers of the big studios, sensing this tide of change, are starting to turn around. We learn that Disney has just censored the next Pixar animated series, Win or Loseby removing a few lines indicating the transidentity of one of its characters.
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The series follows the Pickles, a college softball team, during the week leading up to a big game. Each of the eight episodes focuses on one of its members, from the players to the coach, including parents or the referee. One of these characters is a young girl, played in voiceover by 18-year-old actress Chanel Stewart, who is remembered for Deadline of her immense pride when she learned that she was cast for this role. She was only 14 at the time:
“Oh my God, that was crazy! It was like wearing a medal proudly, it meant so much to me. The idea of being able to authentically portray a transgender teenager made me so happy. I wanted to do it for all trans kids like me.”
The few lines which informed the public of this young girl’s trans identity were finally deleted. The character is still in the series but, without these indications, she is now a cisgender teenager. By way of explanation, Disney prefers to leave it to parents:
“When it comes to animated content aimed at young audiences, we think many parents would prefer to discuss certain topics with their children, on their own terms, and in a timely manner.”
According to a report from Trevor Project14% of young people from the LGBTQIA+ community report having had to sleep outside the family home, or even on the street, for fear of their safety, or for having been thrown out by their parents. Between 35 and 39% of young transgender or non-binary people find themselves homeless. The conclusion is therefore clear: no, parents are not always the ones to turn to when you question your gender identity. Sometimes pop culture has a vital role to play in on-screen representations of minoritized people.
Chanel Stewart said “demoralized” by Disney’s decision, which placed so much hope in this role: “As soon as I had the script in my hands, I couldn’t wait to share my journey to help empower young trans people. I knew this would be an important conversation. Trans stories matter and they deserve to be told.”
Keisha Stewart, Chanel’s mother who learned the news from a Disney spokesperson, also shared her feelings in the columns of Deadline :
“It was really annoying because my daughter is transgender and this is her life. I found it very important not to hide this fact. Parents may not be able to have this conversation, but this is the world we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized. It feels like a step backwards for the LGBTQ community, because it’s particularly hard for transgender teens… for trans people in general, period.”
This video, which is circulating on social networks, would be the outline of the sequence, particularly touching and well written, addressing the transidentity of his character, and which is at the heart of this censorship. However, its authenticity could not be verified.
The series Win or Losecreated by Michael Yates, Carrie Hobson and David Lally, launches on Disney+ on February 19, 2025.
