Is Disney GAY?

[vojna]

Hello Disney friends,

I'm sorry for a bit inappropriate subject for this topic, but there is one simple question I'd like to ask you.

I am a true Disney fan, I admire the legacy and achievements of Walt Disney and his company. I like the classic full-lenght animated feature films, vintage Walt Disney Treasures DVD editions, Disneyland's etc.

Currently I moved from Europe to Los Angeles in California and tried to share my passion for Disney with my current room-mate. His answer was, "That is sooo GAY!". He also added that American society considers single adult guys who like Disney to be gay. I do not agree with what he says and frankly speaking I find it a little bit offending. I would understand that if I'd be all crazy about Disney Princesses franchise and my Disney Rewards debit card would be pink with Sleeping Beauty on it, that this might actually be gay. But my room-mate (who is GAY btw) is generalizing this fact. Single adult guy who is visiting Disneyland without a family/kids is gay, single guy who like the visionary work of W. Disney and his company is gay.

So the question is. Do you agree with my room-mate or you totally disagree? Is it true that American society considers adult male with passion for Disney (except the Disney Princess and Musicals) to be GAY? Would you accept the fact that anybody would reply to your hobby as being gay?

I DO NOT AGREE with my room-mate and I am trying to show him that he is wrong. Thanks for all your support. I feel as if he would put for example the D23 Expo on the same level as Lady GaGa concert.

And one important information for real gay Disney fans. This message is not meant to be offending towards minorities.

cheers

[DiscoDan]

I'm a single adult male and love disney.. but I'm also gay LOL

Sounds like your roommate is just trying to out-macho you, though. I doubt any reasonable person would assume you're gay for liking disney. Anyway, even if they do, why should you care?

[JustOneBite87]

I'm gay. I live in Los Angeles. I LOVE DISNEY (obviously that's why I'm on this forum).

To answer your question, no, just because you are a male who really enjoys classic Disney films, it does not make you gay.

People out here (L.A.) tend to be extremely superficial and judgmental. Not everyone mind you, but with so many people being obsessed with image and glamor in this city...it can occasionally become difficult to remain true to yourself. I've basically learned not to care what people think and just keep doing my own thing. It's worked very well! Do I go around chatting about Disney movies when I hit up the bars at night? No. Do I invite my friends over for Disney DVD and Blu Ray nights? HECK YES I DO.

I have just as many straight male friends who enjoy watching Aladdin and The Lion King with me as I do gay friends. So don't worry about it! Disney is asexual and universal!

It's all about finding people who have common interest with you. I don't know your roommate is (would be funny if I did know him though) and he could be a really nice guy...but PLEASE don't judge the gay population in general by the gay community that tends to dominate the West Hollywood scene out here.

L.A. is a fun city, just be careful about who you make friends with and always be on you guard while still trying to see the best in people...if that makes sense lol.

[Sky Syndrome]

Life's too short to please everyone else.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Like musicals, fashion and romantic comedies, loving "Disney" has become part of the stereotypical gay image.

Why? That's a good question. Disney's history of producing so many products over so many decades likely makes it difficult to find someone who does not like something made by the company. The Lion King is a perfect example of a Disney movie who's popularity knows no gender or orientation boundaries.

Myself? I am gay, but many of the Disney things I love have nothing inertly "gay" about them. These include The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Rocketeer, The Haunted Mansion and The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh.

If anything, the thing that makes Disney "gay" is the generally "girly" current brand image of princesses, female tween/teen stars (or male stars who are sold on sex appeal to females) and cuteness that ironically contradicts with many of their product. TRON and Pirates are exceptions, but girls do seem to love Johnny Depp.

I agree that in general you shouldn't worry too much about what others think. You know how great certain Disney things can be, nobody else will likely change that, so why fret?

More Points:

Disney has been known to be very gay friendly by giving health benefits to partners of gay employees, allowing "commitment ceremonies" in places were same-sex marriage is not legal and the well attended gays days which have been going on at WDW for 20 years now.

I also feel that the connection to "Disney" and' gay" is more related to those born in the 80s than other decades. If you were a kid in the 70s who's first impressions of Disney were a mix of Robin Hood, Space Mountain, Escape to Witch Mountain and The Rescuers, it's unlikely that you'd have this opinion. If you were raised on/made aware of Disney through the Menkan musicals or the current Disney Channel Princess/Fairies franchises you might be more likely to make the connection.

[Goliath]

First of all: welcome to the forum! I see you picked Basil to be in your avatar and that alone already makes me sympathetic toward you.

Second, I believe there has been a similar thread on UD. I'm sure Albert will pop up anytime to give you the link to it. He's our walking encyclopedia, you know. But since I'm not really fond on reviving threads that are years old, I'm fine with this one.

To answer your question: I don't think there's something like 'gay' movies, just like I don't believe there is 'gay' music or 'gay' hobbies, 'gay' interests etc. There may be things that attract more gay people than other things, like musicals or Barbra Streisand etc. (I'm just repeating clichés here to illustrate my point). But I don't accept the notion of those interests being 'gay', just because many gay people have an interest in them. I don't believing in generalizing or stereotyping like that, though many people do --unfortunately.

I'm a single heterosexual man myself, and I love Disney very much. One of my favorites is the 'princess film' (*cough* thanks, Disney marketing department!) The Little Mermaid. But there's even one member on this forum who thinks I like the film because of the 1 nanosecond shot where Ariel is naked --so far for being perceived as gay!

Watch what you wanna watch, like what you wanna like, and don't care what other people think. And even *if* people think it's gay, why would you want to convince them otherwise? As if there's anything 'wrong' with being gay!

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Walt Disney wasn't gay. Nor are the majority of the people who contributed to Disney or Pixar. So why would the fans be gay?

[Mickeyfan1990]

I disagree with your roomate. I have a number of Disney DVDs and I'm not gay. I also don't really care for Disneyland as I grew a little bored with it while my family didn't (but I loved the place when I was a kid).

[Kraken Guard]

"High Diddle-De-Day, an actors life is gay!"

I disagree with your roommate as well.. I dont have anything against gays mind you, but Disney movies are NOT gay..

[Disney's Divinity]

Walt Disney wasn't gay. Nor are the majority of the people who contributed to Disney or Pixar. So why would the fans be gay?

Because some people don't need others to be carbon copies of themselves to still like them/their work.

[MICKEYMOUSE]

I'm sorry but that is the stupidest stereotype of have ever heard! WTF? You can't like Disney cause he made some f**ken classic back in the day (and till this day they are timeless), made of the greatest theme park in my opinion (never gets old), and just the nostalgia alone is what makes Disney even more great. and what it is today.

I am single, and NOT GAY, and have nothing against gays! But your roommate is very ignorant!

[AladdinFan]

No, Disney is NOT gay. Disney is for everyone.

[Poody]

I would say, WHY THANK YOU!

[Polizzi]

If Disney is gay, then why does he have a wife and children, instead of a man? If Disney is gay, then why would he make movies that are NOT gay? If Disney is gay, then why would he establish a theme park for families instead of for gay people? if Disney is gay, then why would he market movies for families instead of for gay people? From the looks of Walt Disney's achievement, he is clean throughout his entire life. And above all, he is a family man, and proud of it.

[Disney Duster]

Tell me this. I sewing girly? Is glitter girly? Is make-up girly?

Are sports manly? Are tools manly? Is hunting manly?

Are Lady Gaga concerts gay? Are musicals gay? Are rainbows gay?

If the answer is yes to any of those, then Disney can be gay.

Because everyone in the world can do any of those things, but some things draw certain kinds of people mostly.

When someone says something is gay or girly or manly, that doesn't mean it is for everyone, or that only gays or girls or guys can like them, it just means it's a thing that gays or girls or guys particularly like. It just means that there is something about it that particularly draws gays, or girls, or guys.

If Disney is gay, then why does he have a wife and children, instead of a man? If Disney is gay, then why would he make movies that are NOT gay? If Disney is gay, then why would he establish a theme park for families instead of for gay people? if Disney is gay, then why would he market movies for families instead of for gay people? From the looks of Walt Disney's achievement, he is clean throughout his entire life. And above all, he is a family man, and proud of it.

YOU SEEM TO HATE GAYS AND THINK THEY ARE UNCLEAN AND NOT AS GOOD AS STRAIGHT OR FAMILY PEOPLE.

[jpanimation]

But there's even one member on this forum who thinks I like the film because of the 1 nanosecond shot where Ariel is naked --so far for being perceived as gay!

Super Aurora still catches me off guard with his comments.

I'm also a single heterosexual man, and while I'm mainly a fan of animation in general, I'd be lying if I didn't say Disney has a special place in my heart. I've even chosen animation as my career path and there's no doubt Disney was a major influence in that. I have to admit, I get weird looks when I tell people I like Disney, but somehow being an animator makes it cool.

I'm sure aiming the Disney Channel programming towards tween girls, and the company's huge push of the Disney Princess and Disney Fairies product lines has definitely hurt their image over the past decade, but who's to say gay men even like that crap (as that would be stereotyping)? I think if anything, it shows how much Disney needs to work on their image.

[Super Aurora]

But there's even one member on this forum who thinks I like the film because of the 1 nanosecond shot where Ariel is naked --so far for being perceived as gay!

Super Aurora still catches me off guard with his comments.

Goliath was talking about Duster with that line, who excuse Goliath as a hypocrite.


I catch everyone off guard. it's my job.

As for the topic. Disney is .......Disney...

[vojna]

Thank you all! Hope we've made this clear.

[Escapay]

Second, I believe there has been a similar thread on UD. I'm sure Albert will pop up anytime to give you the link to it. He's our walking encyclopedia, you know. But since I'm not really fond on reviving threads that are years old, I'm fine with this one.

If there is a "Disney is for gay people only" thread, I don't know the thread title's name off the top of my head (though I do remember it being a discussion once that nachonaco started, as her parents were trying to dissuade her from posting here, so we gave her reasons to tell her parents why Disney isn't gay).

But there was this thread, for anyone who wants to take a gander and cast their vote:

So which Disney Princess has the BIGGEST gay fan base?

As for the question at hand...no, Disney is not gay.

Disney can be liked by anybody, for a variety of reasons.

albert

[Rudy Matt]

I think your roommate is gay, and a homophobe.