It’s no secret that lately Disney has faced censorship in several countries for the inclusion of LGBT+ characters in their stories. For example in lightyear, which caused controversy for a scene that lasts less than a second… blink and you miss it. However, the newly released animated film a strange world, marks the first time Disney has included an openly gay character as a central plot element. This one, of course, could not be removed in some editing room.
The character in question is Ethan Clade (Jaboukie Young-White), the youngest of the entire Clade clan, a family of explorers and farmers renowned throughout the town of Avalonia for having discovered the magical Pantos plant, which has led to the city to its glory.
“There are so many things that he is discovering at the moment,” Jaboukie Young-White tells us. “It’s not a story about him coming out of his closet. It’s not a story about him trying to find acceptance of his sexuality. It’s just Ethan coming into himself totally, completely, and in an environment that is prepared to support him.”
In the film a strange worldEthan feels sorry for his father Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), who constantly embarrasses him not only in front of his friends, but also his crush Diazo.
Luckily Ethan has a great mom who helps him deal with it. “I’m happy to be alive!” laughs the actress who plays her, Gabrielle Union. “That’s first and foremost because mothers are killed in Disney animation all the time. So I’m happy that he made it.”
Union tells how it is that in general the media –but especially Disney– leave the mother as a distant memory, or a tragic death, constantly used to motivate the character. But not this time.
For her, her character is a proud mom, with many layers and complexity. She is also a pilot and she is happy that she has an active participation in the story, not just appearing by chance.
As if this were not enough, we have a cute pet named Legend, a three-legged dog. Although his animators say they should have called him “Lucky” (lucky), because of how lucky he is, the truth is that three-legged or not, he is never far behind in adventure.
Disney has announced that the film will not be screened in markets like the Middle East, China or even Russia. However, its protagonists highlight the importance of making stories like these where people who have not seen themselves on screen before find spaces where they can exist without prejudice and without fear of being who they are.