Disney cuts transgender storyline from Pixar streaming show “Win or Lose”

Pixar's first-ever long-form TV series, Win or Lose, was originally set to feature a transgender character whose gender identity was directly addressed — but that storyline has since been dropped.

Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that while the character remains in the show, a story point revolving around their gender has been removed. The change involved cutting lines of dialogue in later episodes of the animated series. According to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news, the decision was made several months ago.

A spokesperson for Disney said in a statement provided to EW, "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."

Chanel Stewart, the 18-year-old transgender actress who voiced the character in question, said in an interview with Deadline Hollywood that she was "very disheartened" by the change. She added, "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."

Set to debut in 2025, Win or Lose follows the Pickles, a co-ed middle school softball team gearing up for their championship game. Each of the eight episodes will reveal the off-the-field life of a different character — whether it be a player, a parent, a coach or an umpire — by delving into their unique perspective.

Will Forte is set to voice the team's coach in the series, which hails from co-writers and co-directors Carrie Hobson (story artist on Elemental) and Michael Yates (story artist on Soul).

Related: Great TV and movie performances by transgender actors

This is not the first time Disney has come under scrutiny for its treatment of LGBTQ+ storylines, particularly where animated content is concerned. Last month, reports emerged that the company had shelved an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur that featured a trans girl participating in school sports. The character was voiced by transgender and non-binary actor Indya Moore.

Derrick Malik Johnson, a storyboard artist who worked on the series, addressed the news in a now-deleted post on the social media platform Bluesky.

"One of the projects (episode) I worked on is getting shelved because of which party that won the recent election," Johnson wrote, connecting the decision to the re-election of Republican candidate Donald Trump. "It breaks my heart knowing this impactful and amazing [episode] is now about to be considered a lost media episode."

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In 2022, when some Pixar employees came together to speak out against Disney's actions surrounding Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, they also expressed disappointment in the company's approach to LGBTQ+ storylines.

"We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were," read a letter signed by "Leadership from the LGBTQIA+ Employees of Pixar & Their Allies."

Related: All the upcoming Disney and Pixar movies and series showcased at D23 Expo

The letter continued, "Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney's behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar. Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it."

Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek penned a response, apologizing to the company's LGBTQ employees and vowing to cease all political donations in the state of Florida for the time being.

"I am committed to this work and to you all, and will continue to engage with the LGBTQ+ community so that I can become a better ally," Chapek wrote. "I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community. I missed the mark in this case but am an ally you can count on — and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility, and opportunity you deserve."

That also led to the restoration of a same-sex kiss previously cut from the 2022 Pixar release Lightyear. While some Disney films since and previously have featured brief references to LGBTQ+ characters, they are usually  minor and background roles. So far the only LGBTQ-focused work released from Pixar is the short film Out, which premiered on the Disney+ streaming platform.

[This article has been updated with quotes from Chanel Stewart.]

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly