A leaked video showed how Disney filmmakers have been allowed to add LGBT characters into children's programming.
Disney recently came under fire fore belatedly decrying Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' recently passed Parental Rights Laws, which prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade classrooms. The media giant's late reaction resulted in a $5 million donation to organizations that work to protect LGBT rights. Now, the company is leaning further ito the left as shown in a leaked video with woke Disney filmmakers and employees.
According to the Christian Headlines, a leaked video recording of a recent virtual meeing among Disney filmmakers and employees showed how they were discussing their freedomg in adding "queerness" and LGBT characters to children's programming. The discussion also said that more has to be done to increase diversity and representation on Disney shows and films.
The comments by woke Disney filmmakers came during the "all-hands" meeting after the controversy surrounding the company's response to Florida's Parental Rights Bill. The leaked videos were published online by journalist Christopher F. Rufo, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
In the video, Disney executive Karey Burke told employees in the meeting that she is a "mother of two queer children - one transgender child, and one pansexual child" who wants to see more LGBT characters in Disney programs. She argued that despite having many LGBT characters in Disney's programming for children, "we don't have enough leads and narratives in which gay characters just get to be characters and not have to be about gay stories."
Meanwhile, Latoya Raveneau, who directed two episodes of Disney Plus' "The Proud Family," shared that while working for other studios, she heard "whispers" about how Disney does not allow LGBT characters in its programs. She denounced this, saying that "The Proud Family" actually features a same-sex married couple. Raveneau remarked, "My experience was bafflingly the opposite of what I had heard," adding that Disney's showrunners were actually "super welcoming" of LGBT characters.
"Our leadership over there has been so welcoming to my not-at-all secret gay agenda," Raveneau remarked. "I don't have to be afraid to, like, let's have these two characters kiss in the background. I was just, wherever I could, just basically adding queerness [to projects]."
In addition, Disney production coordinator Allen Martsch discussed adding LGBT content to the upcoming series "Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur." He explained that the team has been "really open to exploring queer stories" and that the story is set in "modern-day New York," so they wanted to ensure that it is "an accurate reflection of New York" by adding "the full breadth of expression."
Martsch added that having LGBT characters on Disney shows is not just "a numbers game," but a challenge on how to "get into their story." He explained that viewers will not understand that a character is transgender visually, but through thier story. He said, "the only way to have these canonical trans characters, canonical asexual characters, canonical bisexual characters, is to give them stories where they can be their whole selves."
Meanwhile, CNBC reported that Disney has pledged $5 million to organizations that work to protect LGBT rights, including the Human Rights Campaign. This comes after DIsney CEO Bob Chapek was criticized for not speaking out against Florida's HB 1557, which the company said "should never have passed and should never have been signed into law."
