Disney Controversy: LGBT Community Pushes for a Change

Disney Controversy: LGBT Community Pushes for a Change

Casey DeCaro, Staff Writer

In the beginning of May, the hashtag #GiveElsaAGirlfriend surfaced when Alexis Moncada (@lexi4prez), creator of feministculture.com, sent out a tweet to Disney pushing for a change in Disney’s typical movie structure. Followed by thousands of others, Moncada suggests that in the upcoming sequel to Frozen, Queen Elsa should have a female significant other.

With the support of Idina Menzel, the voice of Elsa, the LGBT community has taken note of Moncada’s efforts and helped her push this idea forward. Many believe it is an important step in normalizing homosexuality and introducing it as something average, rather than “different” to children of all ages.

Some have gone so far as to say that the first movie was a metaphor for Elsa’s homosexuality. Some believe that the introversion and isolation she feels are that of a homosexual still hiding their true self. Elsa’s big song, “Let It Go,” has been thought to be a “coming-out” song and that Frozen 2 should confirm these beliefs with a girlfriend for Elsa.

Although in the past Disney has been noted to be a progressive company, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) gave Disney a failing grade this year. For many years, it has broken barriers in princess movies, showing that women have the power to be their own heroes, not just a damsel in distress. Mulan saved, not only herself but her family and all of China too; Tiana worked constantly to pursue her passion as a career, while her friend was off in search for a prince; Merida saved her kingdom from chaos without the help of anyone. Now activists are pushing for another ground-breaking idea to change normalized ideals in animated movies that should be sure to change the minds of the members of GLAAD.

However, those opposed have sparked the hashtag #CharmingPrinceForElsa in order to combat the trending idea. Many of the tweets behind this hashtag highlight the idea of the traditional values of heterosexuality that Disney has held in their movies throughout the years. This counter-movement is a reminder to Disney that they may lose some consumers if they proceed with this idea.