Disney has done very little in everything, from Ursula to Elsa and Luca. LGBTQThey have been representing women for many years. We have queer-coded villains and background characters that could be lesbians, minor characters with easy-to-declare orientations, and main characters who are subtextually queer, but don’t dare to declare it. Incredible, it happened in the same year. Bob Chapek, Disney CEO, has been resignedEarned BacklashFor the company’s Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill received a responseThe studio also released Strange WorldThis movie features a gay main character. It finally feels like a worthwhile representation.
Strange WorldDisney’s Ethan Clade, the first gay teen hero, is Ethan Clade.
Don Hall and Qui Nayen directed the production. Strange WorldGuides audiences to a multi-generational adventure that centers on three Clade men. Dennis Quaid voices Bushy-bearded Jaeger, a burly, macho, man who loves to explore, fight monsters, and jump into action. Searcher Clade, voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal, is his son. He’s a more gentle version of masculinity. He is an intellectual and a farmer who considers his pride in being a tirelessly tender father to his teenage son. Jaboukie Young White voices Ethan Clade as his son. wantHe wants to follow his father’s footsteps. He is determined to make his own path.
Ethan is not interested in farming, but like his grandfather Jaeger he is more intrigued by the possibilities that exploring can offer. Ethan is not the same as his grandfather in terms of their idea of expedition. These three generations have been successful. Strange WorldThis reflects the current drama in the world. Boomers, millennials and Gen Z are at odds over everything, from conversation etiquette, to general etiquette. Climate Change. When Ethan was revealed to be gay, I was prepared for the inevitable generational clash. Searcher is openly gay and even enthusiastic when Ethan’s crush Diazo visits the farm. You would think that the toxically masculine, gruff grandpa Jaeger would be irritated. Wrong.
Ethan and his grandfather have a quiet moment mid-movie amid their mission to save the world. The grandfather questions Ethan about his sweetheart. Ethan and Diazo don’t have a relationship, but Diazo is smitten with Ethan. Ethan blushes because Diazo doesn’t know the truth. I was ready for the question heteronormative media taught me to expect: What’s her name? Instead, Nguyen’s screenplay avoids this trope, and with it homophobia. Instead, Jaeger says excitedly, “Who is it?”
“Who is it?”
The gendered expectation that his grandson’s sweetheart was a girl has been dissolved. Nguyen cleverly incorporated the possibility into his script by making “sweetheart” a gender-neutral word. Ethan responds and his grandfather, whom Ethan has never met, is not shocked to find out that Ethan is gay. It’s not a problem. It is not an issue. It’s incredibly exciting, because this queer teenager character isn’t queer as plot point. His identity is not used as a trauma tool in the movie. Instead, Strange WorldRecognizes that gay children can exist in media without being treated as a teaching moment.
Disney’s history with queer representation is not a good one.
The path to queer representation on TV and in movies has been bumpy. In the beginning, queer-coded character were often charming villains who had a swagger that made them interesting but also made them feel less. This trend was evident in Disney films, especially in the ’90s. The Little MermaidUrsula, The Lion King’s Scare and Aladdin’Jafar.In the 2010s, queer characters were part of the set dressing. It was not uncommon to see similar-sex couples pop up in the background. Zootopia, Finding Dory, Toy Story 4. To see main characters onscreen, viewers had to dig deeper to find quirkier characteristics. Elsa Frozen, The boys of Luca, and the warring young ladies of Raya and “The Last Dragon”To be LGBTQ.
Alternately, there was the embarrassment that was Josh Gad as the live-action LeFou in 2017’s Beauty and the BeastBill Condon, the director of the film, declared that it would have been a “Nice, exclusive gay moment” That meant a blink-and-you’d-miss-it bit where LeFou — Gaston’s clownish sidekick whose name literally means “the fool” in French — briefly dancing with another man. Condon might not have expected that Condon’s queer-confirmed sidekick would be as innovative as he had hoped.
This “exclusively homosexual moment” was met with a lot of laughter by the LGBTQ community. The Russo Bros. proclamation that they would be introducing the MCU’s first openly transgender character earned them a few more eye rolls. Avengers: End Game. It turned out that this was an unnamed character from a grief support group, played by Joe Russo. It was. Bullshit representationThis is especially true after reports surfaced that Disney had removed queer content Thor: RagnarokThat would have made it MCU-canon. Valkyrie is biYou can also find some femme-on-femme flirtationTwo Dora Milaje soldiers are in Black Panther. It wasn’t until 2021 that it became a reality. EternalsThe MCU featured a queer superhero in Phastos (played by Brian Tyree Henry).
Even though Disney was making progress, there was still a lot of ire from the studio for their lackluster work. Initial lack of actionFor the repeal of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill You can remove queer content from your projects.Disney was born out of the righteous uproar. Restored a sapphic Kiss To Lightyear Before its release. A further step was taken in Wakanda Forever: Black PantherIn which two female members of the warrior squad are present Dora MilajeThey were finally identified as lovers. Now comes Ethan.
Strange WorldCharts a modern course for queer stories
Stories of queer youth outside of Disney often focus on trauma moments, such as being outed, being separated from their families or living with increased hate crime risk. partner violenceHomophobia is a fear of being exposed to. Even movies about gay romance often have homophobia lurking nearby, ready and waiting to crush any semblance of queer joy. LGBTQ communities have begun to demand representation that does not equate queerness as trauma. Sometimes we just get to have fun and live life. Even if we don’t have the chance to live and have fun, it would be nice if we had a fantasy movie that allowed us to see our lives in a way that makes us feel blessed. Strange WorldAnswers your call.
Ethan is bisexual and gay. But the drama of his story is not tied to those identifiers. He gets to crush on a cute boy, experience the belly butterflies of that flush of infatuation — and the crushing embarrassment when his dad tries to play it cool in front of his friends. Ethan is able to share his crush with his grandfather and receives support and advice. He is loved and accepted — and he’s got to help his family save the world before it’s too late. He’s got a boy waiting for him back home.
It is our pleasure to see it.
Strange WorldIt is currently in theaters
