The creator of the cult classic Disney Channel animated series Gravity Falls has harsh words for Disney on Twitter today.
Cartoonist Alex Hirsch blasted Disney over what he believes to be hypocrisy when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation.
In a June 2nd tweet, Hirsh said…
Disney privately: Cut the gay scene! We might lose precious pennies from Russia & China!
Disney publicly: Honk honk we put rainbow bumper sticker on Lightning McQueen today CONSUME OUR PRODUCTS TEENS
In a follow-up tweet, Hirsh would go on to say “To any creative at Disney TV, Feature, Publishing or Streaming: please mercilessly spam your execs with ‘there’s room for everyone under the rainbow’ next time they tell you to ‘please revise’ your LGBTQ+ character for ‘not being Disney appropriate.'”
Alex Hirsh seems to be speaking from experience, as he’s gone on record as saying that Disney forbid him from including an explicitly gay romance in Gravity Falls, likely in reference to Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland.
Despite the mandate from The Mouse, the Sheriff and Deputy shared a few thinly-veiled “gay moments” throughout the series run.
Since Gravity Falls wrapped production, Disney has featured openly LGBTQ+ characters in both Star Vs. The Forces of Evil and The Owl House.
When pressed by other Twitter users, Hirsh said that Disney was operating from a place of fear, and “they’ve made some recent business choices that heavily walk back much of that progress.”
A user asked Hirsh “Who do they have to fear? They own almost everything.”
To which Hirsch replied “losing a single ruble.”
A few days ago, it was being reported that Russia was warning Disney not to distribute its Pixar short “Out,” as Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor said it was harmful to the country’s children.
Hirsch also namechecked China, a country that Disney has tripped over its oversized yellow shoes to court in recent years. China, too, disapproves of same-sex relationships in movies and television.
The scathing criticism of Disney’s handling of LGBTQ+ representation comes as the company unveils a massive amount of Pride Month merchandise.
Of course, this is hardly the first time Disney has been accused of hypocrisy when it comes to corporate “virtue signaling.”
Star Wars actor John Boyega slammed Disney for the shoddy treatment of Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, despite the company openly supporting Black Lives Matter. It’s theorized that the sidelining of Boyega’s character after the first film can also be traced back to Disney courting Chinese audiences.
[Source: Twitter]
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