Employees of Pixar wrote a letter to their parent company Disney, accusing it of censoring almost all of the film's LGBTQIA+ content. One day after Disney CEO Bob Chapek claimed that the company's leaders were opposed to Florida's gay bill, a letter was written.
Pixar's letter claims that Disney's parent company is removing content from its films because of the lack of LGBTQIA+ characters.
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 used to be. Every moment of gay affection is cut at Disney's request, even when there is a protest from the Pixar team.
io9 has reported many times about Disney's attempts to include LGBTQIA+ content over the years. The letter points out that Disney has taken stances against Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, as well as those that undermine the 2020 Presidential election results.
Variety obtained Pixar's full letter.
A statement from the employees of Pixar.
We are writing because we are angry. We were hoping that Disney would show up for us. It didn't.
The email, "Our Unwavering Commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community", rang hollow. Disney Parks did not host Pride until Paris alone, but there was a claim that Disney had a long history of supporting the LGBT community. Disney has a history of shutting down fan-created Pride events in the parks, even removing same-sex couples for dancing together in the 1980s. While de-emphasizing the terms like LGBTQ+ and not even featuring explicitly LGBTQIA+ pieces such as Pride flag pins until 2021, Disney began capitalizing on Pride with The Rainbow Mickey Collection. It feels terrible to be a part of a company that makes money from Pride when it chooses to step back when our rights are at risk.
The second claim said that corporate statements do not change outcomes or minds. The email opened with a corporate statement about the situation in Ukraine. Disney stopped all political donations to members of Congress after the siege on the capital in 2021. In response to the Religious Liberty bill, Disney told the state of Georgia that they would take their business elsewhere. Disney had a direct impact on the legislative outcome in Georgia. Disney's corporate statements can make a difference.
The push for content is the answer. We at Pixar have seen beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they used to be. Every moment of gay affection is cut at Disney's request, even when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar. We are being barred from creating content that addresses discrimination in the world, even if it was the answer. We need action beyond the inspiring content that we aren't allowed to create.
We are calling on Disney leadership to immediately withdraw all financial support from the legislators behind the Don't Say Gay bill, to fully denounce this legislation publicly, and to make amends for their financial involvement. Signing on to donate is a step in the right direction, but the shareholder meeting on Wednesday made it clear that this is not enough. During the shareholder meeting, Disney did not take a hard stance in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, they tried to appease both sides, and did not condemn the messages shared during the question and answer portion. This is not what it means to stand in support of our employees and their families.
Disney taking a stand by honoring their company values has changed the course of legislation in the past. If Disney is true to 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. Stand against the bill in Florida and similar ones in other states. In Texas, Iowa, Utah, Kansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, and Alabama, there are transphobic legislation. We need you to stand with us, not in empty words, because many groups are trying to eradicate us.
This matter can't wait until Reimagine Tomorrow in April or Pride Month in June. This matter needs to be addressed. This is urgent. The lack of support that these legislations enable is one of the reasons why 42% of LGBTQIA+ youth seriously considered suicide in 2021. Disney claims to care for the welfare of children, but it hurts one of their most vulnerable audiences when they support politicians. Disney's support could save lives. This is the work.
Signed with Pride.
The employees of Pixar.
Disney has not publicly responded to Pixar's claims, but after criticism over its response to the gay bill, the company pledged a meager amount. The Human Rights Campaign has refused to take the money until Disney takes more substantive action to fight the bill.
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