Despite releasing a range of 'Pride' merchandise last month, Disney continues to fail the LGBTIQ+ community when it comes to on-screen representation.
According to GLAAD’s annual Studio Responsibility Index report, Walt Disney Studios have, on more than one occasion, “erased a character’s queer identity as they moved from page to screen.”
The media advocacy group points to the strong queer representation found in Disney source material, including comic books - a nod to the reported 'straightwashing' of films including Black Panther and Thor: Ragnorok, each of which lost queer characters in the screenwriting process.
“There are so many strong LGBTQ-inclusive comics… [and] on the television side, superhero shows regularly include LGBTQ characters and have been a hit with fans," the report reads.
It continues: “It is becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore that LGBTQ people remain almost completely shut out of Hollywood’s big budget comic book films that have dominated the box office over the past several years.”
The report adds: "Thor: Ragnarok included two prominent characters who are bisexual and gay respectively in the Marvel source comics: Valkyrie and Korg."
“However, this film disappointingly did not include any references to their identities or love interests, and as such, audiences would have no clue they were seeing queer characters unless they had read outside press or the source material stories.”
The study then looks to the future, highlighting upcoming opportunities for Disney to improve their track record, including the possible introduction of lesbian Latina superhero America Chavez in Captain Marvel.
