To reinforce its support for the LGBTQ community, Disney-Pixar's prequel on the hit movie series "Toy Story" features a same-sex kiss that allegedly aims to get back on Florida's Parental Education Act.
Faithit reported that "Lightyear," which presents the story of Buzz Lightyear in the prequel, made noise last week because of the said scene. Variety revealed that the scene was removed from the movie originally but has now been returned in time for the June 1, 2022 release.
Accordingly, the LGBTQ+ employees of Pixar raised to Disney through a statement that the company's executives censor scenes that convey intimate gay affection in their movies. The statement was sent in part of the employees' reaction to Disney's alleged lack of public response against Florida's Parental Education Act or House Bill 1557, which has been dubbed by the media and the LGBTQ+ community as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
The statement comes after Disney CEO Bob Chapek condemned the bill only through an internal memo on March 7 where he enforced the company's support for the LGBTQ+ community, beginning with his employees and their families.
"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," the employees said in the statement.
The statement also called on Disney's leadership to immediately withdraw all financial aid they provide legislators who support or sponsor of HB 1557. The statement stressed the need for Disney's executives to amend the indirect support they have given for HB 1557.
"If Disney is true in its values, it will take a decisive public stand against the discriminatory legislation occurring in Florida and offer tangible support for the LGBTQIA+ communities affected by bigoted legislation sweeping the country," the employees stressed.
Due to the statement, "Lightyear" will now show the kiss between its female character, Hawthorne, and the other woman character she has a relationship with. A source of Pixar's production told Variety that there was no question with Disney-Pixar when it comes to the movie's portrayal of the two women having a romantic relationship with each other. But the kiss between them had to be cut from the movie.
Disney-Pixar's decision to return the scene is seen as a precedent for upcoming releases not only from their outfit but from other studios as well. Disney and movie studios have only told about same-sex relationships in the past either in passing or subliminally in their films but have never actually shown what happens in it. Samples of such movies include "Toy Story 4" where two moms bid their kindergarten child goodbye. Another is "Finding Dory," which similarly shows a lesbian couple back in 2016.
The LGBTQ Community also held a rally in Gainesville, Florida last week against HB 1557 that was officially called, "We Say GAYnesville Rally." The rally was attended by various LGBTQ+ organizations, members of the academe, students, and politicians including the city's mayor, Lauren Poe.
Rallyists claim grave harm will befall students should HB 1557 become law because their "safe place"-their schools-will be removed from them. Schools, the activists said, are environments they can freely talk about themselves.
The rally was held despite Florida Governor Ron DeSantis repeatedly clarifying that the bill does not have anything to do with transgenderism. DeSantis blasted the media for framing the bill incorrectly in their narratives when it does not even contain anything on not saying "gay." What the bill pushes is for children to be children by banning the teaching of any sexual talk in schools from kinder to grade three.
