Controversy erupted this week as Disney confirmed the removal of a transgender character’s story arc from Pixar‘s upcoming animated series Win or Lose, drawing criticism from the show’s 18-year-old trans actress who was cast in the role four years ago. The series, which follows a middle school softball team called the Pickles in the lead-up to their championship game, will debut Feb. 19, 2025, on Disney+.
While the character remains in the show, Disney has eliminated dialogue referencing gender identity, according to a company spokesperson who stated to The Hollywood Reporter: “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.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Actress Chanel Stewart, who was cast at age 14 through an open casting call specifically seeking a trans performer, expressed her disappointment with the decision to Deadline. “I was very disheartened. 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.”
The removed storyline, according to leaked storyboards, featured Stewart’s character Kai experiencing dysphoria in a bathroom scene, receiving support from her coach Dan (voiced by Will Forte), who tells her, “Look, I don’t know exactly what kind of pitches you are being thrown, but if you ever need to talk, the whole team will be here for you.”
Stewart’s mother, Keisha, also voiced concerns to Deadline about the decision: “There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented. Everyone deserves to be recognized. And it felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community, because it’s very hard on transgender teenagers – transgender people, period.”
The change follows a pattern of similar decisions at Disney regarding LGBTQ+ content in animated productions. The company recently faced criticism over allegations that executives pushed for Inside Out 2‘s protagonist Riley to appear “less gay” and ensure her admiration for a female hockey player remained “as platonic as possible.” Additionally, Disney reportedly cut a transgender storyline from the Marvel animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
While Disney continues to include LGBTQ+ content in adult-oriented productions like Agatha All Along, All of Us Strangers, and Fire Island, animated content aimed at younger audiences has faced increased scrutiny. Previous releases like Lightyear and Strange World, which featured LGBTQ+ characters, struggled at the box office, earning just $226.4 million and $73.6 million globally.
The decision comes as Disney’s animation division celebrates recent successes, with Inside Out 2 becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time at $1.7 billion and Moana 2 approaching the $1 billion mark. Win or Lose, created by Michael Yates, Carrie Hobson, and David Lally, was initially scheduled to debut this month but was postponed to February 2025 to capitalize on Inside Out 2’s success.
