Pixar’s upcoming animated movie – Lightyear – may have a scene reinstated. As per a report from Variety, the Toy Story prequel had a same sex kissing scene which was cut from it. However, following an internal approval amongst staff at Pixar, the scene seems to have been restored.
Disney has been involved in a controversy wherein Pixar employees, and Disney’s LGBTQ employees, have criticized the company’s public silence on Florida’s bill which prohibits “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in Florida primary schools. The bill has been dubbed as “Don’t Say Gay” bill by protestors. The company’s CEO Bob Chapek has been targeted in particular for not only being silent but also overseeing the company’s donation to Florida politicians backing the bill.
Further, employees at Pixar had sent a joint statement to Walt Disney saying that Disney has in past censored ‘overtly gay affection’ in its movies. News of censorship put the company under further pressure.
This pressure has probably now seen the studio restoring a same-sex scene in Lightyear. The said scene is said to feature a female character – Hawthorne – and another female character. Lightyear is a spin-off of the Toy Story film series. It is a prequel and an origin story of the astronaut Buzz Lightyear toy which had featured in the Toy Story movies. Lightyear is scheduled to be released on June 17, 2022. Chris Evans lends his voice to Buzz Lightyear with Angus Maclane directing the movie.
Chapek has since apologized for ‘letting down’ Disney’s LGBTQ+ employees but maintained that the company preferred to work behind the scenes. Animated movies have traditionally avoided same-sex affection with the presumption that its target audience – which is families and people across age groups – may not appreciate it. Various employees at Pixar, reports suggest, have attempted to incorporate LGBTQ related material in their movies but have been censored.
But with these developments now public, Disney executives are feeling the heat which may bring about a change in attitude. Restoring the scene in Lightyear seems to be the first sign of a changed attitude. Pixar employees and viewers across the world would hope that this would encourage further LGBTQ related material in upcoming projects.
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