Disney face backlash after removing trans storyline from new Pixar show Win or Lose

18 December 2024, 17:23

By Sam Prance

Win or Lose actress Chanel Stewart, who is trans in real life, has said that she is "very disheartened" by the decision.

Disney is receiving criticism after they announced that they have cut a trans storyline for Pixar's TV show Win or Lose.

Win or Lose is set to be Pixar's first every animated original series. The as yet unreleased TV show will follow a co-ed softball team in the days before they take part in a championship game. Each episode will be told from the point of view of a completely different character and Win or Lose will premiere on Disney+ on 19 February worldwide.

One episode included a trans storyline. However, Disney have now stated that the trans storyline has been removed leading to backlash online. Trans actress Chanel Stewart has also spoken out against Disney's decision.

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Watch Pixar's Win or Lose trailer

According to The Hollywood Reporter the trans character, played by Chanel Stewart, will still appear in Win or Lose in a recurring capacity but any dialogue that referenced her gender identity has now been removed from the show.

In their statement, Disney said: "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.”

This has led to criticism on social media. One person tweeted: "Genuinely, genuinely…this would’ve helped so many scared kids feel seen and do no harm to anyone."

Another wrote: "Not to be pessimistic but we’ve entered a really dark timeline when it comes to progress and acceptance and that makes me very angry."

Someone also said: "Disney letting their blatant transphobia show…"

Speaking to Deadline, Chanel Stewart has now revealed that she was cast in the show in 2020 when she was just 14 years old. She also explained that Pixar were actively looking for a transgender teen to play the role.

Chanel said: "I was exactly what they wanted to a T, and that’s why it felt so right. It felt just so right. I immediately asked my mom if I could do it, because I just felt like if I don’t do this, it wouldn’t make sense."

Explaining what the role meant to her, Chanel said: "I wore it as a badge. I wore it with pride. I wore it with honour because it meant so much to me. The thought of authentically portraying a transgender teenage girl made me really happy. I wanted to make this for transgender kids like me."

Discussing how she feels about Disney removing the trans elements from her storyline, Chanel added: "I was very disheartened. From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”

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