Disney withdraws from 'culture wars' amid bruising encounters with Trump and DeSantis [View all]
Source: The Independent
Monday 23 December 2024 20:31 GMT
Disney’s recent decision to pull a transgender storyline from one of its upcoming movies appears to be its latest attempt to avoid generating political controversy after the company became the center of a debate over “wokeism” last year. The company, run by Bob Iger, has found itself in the midst of several “culture wars” over the last few years after pledging to “further strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion everywhere” in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Disney chose to make its theme parks more inclusive, such as adopting more gender-neutral greetings, and has made a conscious effort to include more diverse characters, for example, introducing its first biracial gay character in Strange World. Iger was the one who pushed the blockbuster superhero film Black Panther forward – a movie with an almost entirely Black cast that has been renowned for its cultural impact.
But the company’s desire to move-away from subjects often embroiled in political cultural wars seemed evident in Iger’s statement to investors last year. “Our primary mission needs to be to entertain,” Iger said. “It should not be agenda-driven.”
After a messy lawsuit with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and a recent $15 million settlement with President-elect Donald Trump, the company seems to be reeling it in again. This past week, Disney said its transgender athlete storyline in the upcoming series Win or Lose would be scrapped.
Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/disney-culture-war-trans-character-trump-desantis-b2669205.html
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