Disney’s recent decision to pull a transgender storyline from one of its upcoming movies appears to be its latest attempt to avoid generating political controversy after the company became the center of a debate over “wokeism” last year.
The company, run by Bob Iger, has found itself in the midst of several “culture wars” over the last few years after pledging to “further strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion everywhere” in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Disney chose to make its theme parks more inclusive, such as adopting more gender-neutral greetings, and has made a conscious effort to include more diverse characters, for example, introducing its first biracial gay character in Strange World.
Iger was the one who pushed the blockbuster superhero film Black Panther forward – a movie with an almost entirely Black cast that has been renowned for its cultural impact.
But the company’s desire to move-away from subjects often embroiled in political cultural wars seemed evident in Iger’s statement to investors last year.
“Our primary mission needs to be to entertain,” Iger said. “It should not be agenda-driven.”
After a messy lawsuit with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and a recent $15 million settlement with President-elect Donald Trump, the company seems to be reeling it in again.
This past week, Disney said its transgender athlete storyline in the upcoming series Win or Lose would be scrapped.
“When it comes to animated content for a younger audience,” Disney said in a statement to The Independent. “We recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”
That decision was made over the summer, according to the New York Times.
But the news of it arrives soon after ABC, a flagship property of Disney, agreed to give Trump $15m for his presidential library, on top of $1m in legal fees, rather than dispute a defamation lawsuit in court. Trump accused host George Stephanopoulos of defaming him for saying he raped E. Jean Carroll. A jury found the president-elect liable for sexual abuse, not rape.
First Amendment supporters criticized the company and Iger, who signed off on it, for giving into Trump’s pursuits. But lawyers for the company reportedly felt it was too risky to fight.
That fight would’ve been another legal battle against a well-known politician. Last year, Disney sued DeSantis for infringing on their First Amendment rights by using his political power for retaliation.
The company openly opposed DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act for being anti-LGBT+. In return, DeSantis responded angrily and the Florida State Legislature repealed the law that gave Disney special governance.
Although the case garnered national attention, the two ultimately settled this year.
On top of legal battles, Disney has also battled public opinion over its choice to become more inclusive and diverse. Conservatives have bashed the company for indoctrinating children by pushing LGBT-friendly characters and storylines. Online, a movement began to boycott the company.
America First Legal Foundation, a conservative law firm founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, even sued Disney for its diversity promotion.
