Disney refuses to cut LGBTQ+ scene in Buzz Lightyear despite being banned in 14 countries

Disney’s latest film is Lightyear, where they tell the backstory behind the iconic character from Pixar’s Toy Story. The film has been called ‘the definitive origin story’. In various countries, the film has been banned for one particular scene.

LGBTQ+ representation

Disney is slowly increasing its diversity and is starting to include more minorities in its latest films (Luca, Encanto, Turning Red…). The latest inclusion isLGBTQ+ representation.

Indeed in the film, Buzz Lightyear’s companion Alisha Hawthorne kisses her female partner.

Banned in 14 countries

As a result of this kissing scene, the film has been banned in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Malaysia and others. In a statement, the Ministry of Youth and Culture's Media Regulatory Office announced that they had decided to ban the film from being shown.

Indeed the UAE is a Muslim-led country that ‘criminalises same-sex relationships’ as reported by SkyNews.

The statement did not specify which scene was in ‘violation of the country's media content standards’ but it is suspected to be the lesbian kiss.

Lightyear producer Galyn Susman also believes that the film will be banned in China but Disney hasn’t received an official reply from authorities. According to South China Morning Post, Chinese authorities had asked Disney to cut the scene.

Disney refuses to cut the scene

Despite being banned in 14 countries, Disney has decided not to censor or cut the scene. Galyn Susman explained that the scene is too important to the storyline to be cut. Indeed she told Reuters at the movie's red-carpet premiere in London.:

We're not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he's missing by the choices that he's making, so that's not getting cut.

She added:

It's great that we are a part of something that's making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity, but it's frustrating that there are still places that aren't where they should be.

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