Over the Father’s Day weekend, I saw several posts requesting that people cancel (aka, boycott) the Buzz “Lightyear” movie because <gasp!> it depicted a healthy, lesbian relationship. Apparently, Disney is shoving LGBTQ issues down people’s throats, homosexuality is against God’s laws, and parents need to protect their children from such explicit depictions.
Media are powerful instruments of cultural representation as well as cultural change, that is true. My favorite fandom, Star Trek, has pushed cultural boundaries for more than 50 years, ever since Lt. Uhura was a bridge officer with all of the duties and responsibilities that went with that rank – and that portrayal inspired generations of African American women to reach for the stars.
As long as we’re talking representation, I’ve also included a variety of characters in my novels that represent different groups of people, including neuro-divergent, homosexual, and racial minority characters. My latest novel, “Medusa: Rise of a Goddess,” features a bisexual woman struggling to find love and acceptance – sadly, a very real struggle for so many people today!
Is it “shoving issues down people’s throats” when people of various backgrounds, sexualities, and ethnicities are portrayed accurately and respectfully in media? No; that’s just art representing reality.
Shoving things down people’s throats is the religious person coming to my door to tell me I follow the wrong religion. Shoving things down people’s throats is the guy in the park screaming at people that they’re going to Hell. Shoving things down people’s throats is mandating laws for everyone that are based on the religion of a select few.
And what about “God’s laws”? The weird thing about reading through the Bible as many times as I have (6) is that I’ve found all kinds of things that God has told people over the millennia to do, including: commit genocide, kill children, abort children, sacrifice people, stone people, etc. Which of those “laws” do you want to follow, and why not all of them? (Because some of them would convict you? Yup.)
As for parents’ need to protect their children from depictions in movies, I believe parents should certainly restrict their children from seeing...all the violence: the gun fights, fist fights, indiscriminate killings, and torture. I still remember the 10-year-old boy sitting a few seats away during a showing of “The Matrix” 25 years ago. Where is the righteous indignation at children being exposed to all the blood-filled death, destruction, and dismemberment?
Regarding “Lightyear,” which I have not yet seen, I would much rather that children see love modeled in as many ways as possible. Love is awesome! We need more love in this world. I commend any art form, any medium, any new story that let’s love shine through; that highlights healthy, loving relationships; and shows people the power of love. Don’t cancel love; show more love!
Be love.