Disney cuts transgender storyline from new animated series

Disney has cut a transgender storyline from its new animated series, “Win or Lose,” ahead of the show’s release.

Disney has cut a transgender storyline from its new animated series, “Win or Lose,” ahead of the show’s release. The original animated series from Disney-owned studio Pixar centers around a co-ed middle school softball team, the Pickles, in the run-up to the group’s championship game. Each of the series’ eight episodes, which will begin to roll out on Disney+ on Feb. 19, will focus on a different member of the Pickles. While the storyline involving gender identity will no longer be included, the character will remain in the series, a person familiar with the matter told CNN, adding that the decision to remove the plot point was made a couple of months ago. Still, the announcement is not as simple as crossing lines off a script since the character’s dialogue has already been recorded. “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,” Disney said in a statement. The decision was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement comes after the reelection of former President Donald Trump, who has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which have become a cause célèbre of the right. In response to online pressure and threats, many companies have recently made changes to their DEI policies.