Pixar Erases Transgender Character's Story in Upcoming 'Win or Lose'

Trans erasure is coming to a streaming service near you as Pixar deletes a transgender character's story from its upcoming animated series, "Win or Lose," The Hollywood Reporter shared.

"The series follows a co-ed middle school softball team named the Pickles in the week leading up to their championship game," THR backgrounded. "Each of the eight episodes center on the off-the-field life of a character and their point of view, whether it be a player, a parent, a coach or an umpire."

One of those characters was set to have a storyline representing trans people – although not until late in the eight-episode run, and with the storyline reportedly taking up a scant few lines of dialogue.

Execs balked even at that, however.

"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," THR quoted a spokesperson for Disney saying.

The character will remain, but without that defining storyline. THR article pointed out that, in an example of authentic casting, Chanelle Stewart, the actress voicing the trans character in "Win or Lose" is transgender herself. Responding to news that her character's defining storyline was being scrubbed, Stewart said, "From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard."

In the wake of that representation being muzzled, Stewart described herself as "very disheartened."

"It's not the first time the company has come under scrutiny for LGBTQ+ storylines, particularly regarding its animated content," THR noted.

Indeed, it was reported earlier this year that Pixar higher-ups demanded that hints of "romantic chemistry" be eradicated from the movie "Inside Out 2."

Moreover, company insiders said, Pixar execs made a scapegoat of a queer kiss in another animated film from the company, "Lightyear," which excited controversy when it was cut, only to be restored when an outcry followed. Overlooking the obvious flaws in "Lightyear," Pixar suits reportedly laid the blame for audiences staying away on that fleeting moment.

It made for a handy rationale, IGN indicated, when "continuous notes" rained down on Pixar workers from above, instructing them to tweak the look and editing of the animated "Inside Out 2" in order "to make Riley, the main character of both 'Inside Out' movies, come across as 'less gay.'"

"Disney has frequently drawn the ire of conservative groups over its inclusion of L.G.B.T.Q. characters and story lines in family movies," The New York Times noted in coverage of the trans storyline being scrapped.

Aside from the "Lightyear" flap, the article noted, there was friction over the fact that the 2022 Pixar film "Strange World" included an openly gay teenager among its central characters.

"That same year," the NYT recalled, "the company's chief executive at the time, Bob Chapek, faced criticism when he refused to condemn anti-L.G.B.T.Q. legislation in Florida. When he finally explained his silence, a union representing his employees called the decision a 'momentous misstep.'"

A NYT op-ed by Michelle Goldberg, discussing Donald Trump, took note of what she called "The Great Capitulation" among "many of the most influential people in America" who "seem to have lost any will to stand up to him as he goes about transforming America into the sort of authoritarian oligarchy he admires."

Goldberg cited Disney along with publishers and tech leaders, noting that "ABC News, which is owned by the Walt Disney Company, made the craven decision to settle a flimsy defamation case brought by Trump."

"Gender identity has become a charged and divisive topic across the United States, especially around youth and sports," THR noted. "Most recently, Disney Channel's animated series 'Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur' made headlines after some who worked on the show took to social media to say Disney banned the release of an episode focused on a recurring transgender character."

"The company denied that the episode was 'banned,'" the writeup added, "and said the decision to hold on releasing the episode was made more than a year ago and was not because of the transgender character inclusion."

"Win or Lose" is slated to premiere in February.