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Disney Removes Transgender Storyline From Pixar’s Win Or Lose Series; Deets
Disney has removed a transgender storyline from Pixar's upcoming series Win or Lose, set to premiere in 2025. This change added to ongoing debates about LGBTQ+ representation in children’s content.
Disney has removed a transgender storyline from Pixar's upcoming TV series, Win or Lose. The animated series, set to debut in 2025, originally included a subplot addressing the gender identity of a transgender character. While the character remains in the show, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that dialogue referencing their gender identity has been removed.
A Disney spokesperson explained the decision in a statement, saying, “When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”
The decision to remove the transgender storyline was reportedly made months ago. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cut involved dialogue adjustments in the later episodes of the eight-part series. The character was voiced by Chanel Stewart, an 18-year-old transgender actress.
In an interview with Deadline Hollywood, Stewart showed disappointment over the decision. "From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard," Stewart said.
The show focuses on the lives of a co-ed middle school softball team, the Pickles, as they prepare for their championship game. Each episode explores the perspective of a different character, including players, parents, and coaches.
This is not the first time Disney has been criticized for handling LGBTQ+ representation in its content. Recently, the company reportedly shelved an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur featuring a transgender girl in school sports.
The episode, voiced by transgender and non-binary actor Indya Moore, was reportedly linked to political considerations following the re-election of Donald Trump.
Storyboard artist Derrick Malik Johnson, who worked on the episode, voiced frustration in a now-deleted social media post. “It breaks my heart knowing this impactful and amazing [episode] is now about to be considered a lost media episode,” Johnson wrote.
In 2022, Pixar employees criticized Disney’s corporate reviews for cutting LGBTQ+ storylines. A letter from Pixar’s LGBTQIA+ employees and allies showed this frustration, stating, “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney's behest, regardless of when there is a protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.”
The controversy arose during Disney’s response to Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill, which limited discussions of gender and sexuality in schools. Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek apologized to LGBTQ+ employees and promised to improve the company’s support. This led to the restoration of a same-sex kiss in Pixar’s 2022 movie Lightyear.
Win or Lose will premiere on Disney+ in 2025. Co-written and co-directed by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, the series features Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte as the voice of the team's coach. Despite the changes, the series promises to explore unique perspectives through its characters’ off-the-field lives.
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