It's Not Just Frozen: Most Disney Movies Are Pro-Gay

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/04/its-not-just-frozen-disney-has-always-been-subtly-pro-gay/361060/

?n4geip

The culture warriors have decided: Disney’s Frozen is queer. Elsa hiding her ice-powers could be read as a metaphor for the closet, the Oscar-winning “Let it Go” plays like a coming-out anthem, and a character in the film evokes the question of whether homosexuality is a choice by inquiring of Elsa’s powers, “born with it or cursed?” Some liberals have praised the film for its subtext; some conservatives have denounced it.

But the most remarkable thing about queer readings of the film may be how unremarkable they really are. Through both its corporate practices and the content of its films, Disney for decades has implemented the so-called "gay agenda"—which is to say, helping make the world a more accepting place.

To start in the most obvious place: As a business, Disney has long held a progressive attitude toward LGBT people. Gay pride events have been hosted at Disney World since 1991, and the company started offered its gay employees health insurance benefits for their partners since 1995, a decision that wasn’t entirely popular back then.

One of the most poignant examples of the company’s tolerant atmosphere is the case of lyricist Howard Ashman, who was openly gay and died of AIDS in 1991. Not only did Ashman write songs for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, he was also closely involved in those films’ productions, casting actors and holding story meetings with animators. At the end of Beauty and the Beast, Disney acknowledged his contributions with this tribute: “To our friend Howard Ashman who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful.”

[Bluenorthwest]

1. This article starts in the middle. Disney 'gay days' were a huge victory won by activism

When I was a teen, Disneyland was busily ejecting same sex couples and we were busy protesting their anti gay policies. Disney does not acknowledge nor sanction 'gay pride events' which started as protest, an organized attendance of the park wearing red tee shirts for visibility. It is larger but it is still not a 'Disney sanctioned event' it is just a bunch of people showing up on the same day.
It is a huge stretch to say that Disney has 'long held a progressive attitude toward LGBT people' considering I remember then literally throwing gay people out of Disneyland and considering the 'Gay Pride' events this article spouts about are gay, but are not Disney authorized nor supported.
They are better now, but then so are lots of companies.

[onehandle]

2. Disney to cut funding to Boy Scouts over ban on gay adult leaders

Walt Disney Co. said it will stop financial support for Boy Scouts-related organizations beginning next year because of the Scouts' policy banning adult leaders who are gay.

The Boy Scouts said it is "disappointed" with the move.

The company’s decision was made public after the president of a Boy Scouts council in Apopka, Fla., sent local troops a memo on Disney’s move.

http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/03/local/la-me-ln-gay-ban-prompts-disney-to-cut-funding-to-boy-scouts-20140302

They are getting a LOT more pro-active these days.

[davidpdx]

3. I've never noticed one way or the other

Then again, I'm not a huge fan of Disney films anymore (as a kid I saw quite a few and remember seeing Mary Poppins in the theater). Many of my Korean students have seen Frozen, but it's not anywhere on my list. It just isn't interesting I guess.