Disney gay pride shirts
I have included the first section of this year’s release in our Monday Merch Meeting this week. Rainbow designs are no longer limited to an Ear Headband or annual pin, ranging from colorful expression to subtle everyday support. Brands like Loungefly, Torrid, Hot Topic, Kohls, and Funko are jumping on board with their own contributions, as well as Pride products from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel. The 2021 release has only partially been revealed and already is no exception to the escalating trend. This highly-anticipated merch release has become a favorite among fans in subsequent years, expanding each time with more elaborate offerings.
Disney gay pride shirts series#
I’m talking, of course, about the Rainbow Collection, which took another leap forward in 2019 when a second follow-up series was released, building on the items from the previous year and broadening their options with a series of matching family shirts for adults and kids. Little did they know at the time, it would soon become an annual merchandise collection that would have fans counting down the days until its release. But they didn’t stop there, vowing to donate 10 percent of their profits to GLSEN – a US-based organization dedicated to the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ school-aged children. By May of the same year, with a mixture of rave reviews and peer pressure to expand the selection, Disney had released a matching handful of clothing and accessories items. That's yet to be determined, but there's no mistaking what direction things are currently moving.In April of 2018, the Disney theme parks took a step in a new direction, debuting the rainbow-themed ear hats in celebration of the LQBTQ+ community. Will they lean further into LGBT representation, even it means fewer religious groups visiting Disney World? The author continues, writing: "people tempted by LGBT attraction and ideology are liberated not by protesting against Disney (though we should clearly stand against unbiblical morality) but by the transformation Jesus brings to a life."Ĭlearly, Disney is taking a measure of its audience and trying to keep everyone happy.
It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it peck between two side characters in a large crowd.Įven those small steps were not taken lightly, as Disney seeks to walk a line between boosting LGBT representation and not upsetting evangelicals and other religious groups who aren't shy about making their feelings known on the subject.Ī recent Christian Post op-ed insists that the rainbow merchandise is "one way Disney seeks to introduce children to LGBT ideology." Were Poe and Finn finally going to share a long-awaited tender moment? It was only last year that Disney put in an openly gay character in one of their major theatrical releases, Onward.ĭisney (who owns the Star Wars franchise) made a big deal about Star Wars’ first gay kiss in the lead-up to the release of the latest Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker. Gay characters in Disney films are few and far between, critics charge.
“You got LGBTQ+ stories or characters that reflect your support? Show your work.” A Slow March “You want to muscle in on Pride?” one Twitter user asked.
They speculate the release happened simply because it's fashionable and profitable, and that Disney doesn’t actually care about LGBT individuals, only what’s in their wallets.Ĭritics argue that Disney's record is selective – they will happily take the good PR and cash in on Pride Month by selling merch, for example – but when it comes to putting LGBT characters or stories in their films, suddenly they’re hesitant to act. While reaction to the announcement was largely positive and many applauded Disney for supporting the LGBT community, not everyone was pleased – including some within the LGBT community.Ĭritics accuse Disney of participating in so-called "rainbow capitalism," arguing that Disney's colorful merchandise is mostly a cynical cash grab. Naturally, some people are very upset - but not for the reasons you might think. The countdown to Pride Month is on with a colorful array of Pride products available now! ??❤️????? Plus, The Walt Disney Company is giving funds as part of our ongoing commitment to organizations around the world that support LGBTQ+ communities: /0zwKzobgNi- Disney Parks May 3, 2021