Petition To Keep Trans Character In Disney Show Hits Thousands

A petition calling for Disney Pixar to reinstate a trans and storyline in its new show Win or Lose has amassed thousands of signatures since its creation on Wednesday.

Last week, it was announced that Disney had decided to cut the character, saying in a statement that they “recognised many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline”.

“It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this is blatantly an empty damage-control statement that spits in the face of the value of LGBTQ+ representation in family media,” wrote petition creator Jeffery Patrick. “The fact that this decision was made barely a month after Disney did this exact same thing with a transgender-focused episode of Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur speaks volumes about their true motivations.

“In the troubling, frightening times we live in, where LGBTQ+ individuals and communities continue to be threatened with persecution and denial of basic human rights, this continued suppression of authentic, meaningful queer storytelling simply cannot be accepted.”

The petition has accrued over 6,500 signatures at the time of writing.

Importance of trans stories emphasised

The character’s voice actor, 18-year-old Chanel Stewart, who is transgender, said that she felt “disheartened” by the news after it broke last week.

“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,” she said. “Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”

Comments left by signatories on the petition expressed similar sentiments.

“It gives kids vocabulary and understanding for what they may be feeling if they are queer,” wrote one. “It will not make them queer, only help them articulate and voice their queerness. Which is why it being in this show so nonchalantly is of utmost importance.”

“Trans representation is incredibly important to me as a non-binary person, and seeing a trans story in animation would have helped me so much as a kid” said another.