Buzz Lightqueer? Middle East bans movie 'Lightyear' over same-sex kiss

Disney/Pixar

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With Pride Month in full swing, corporations across North America have changed their social media profile pictures in celebration.

Your annual reminder that companies only pretend to support LGBT rights when and where it suits them. #PRIDE #PrideMonth

Via: https://t.co/Wxw6CKWj3b pic.twitter.com/duFfIGs18a

— Holly Brockwell (@holly) June 3, 2021

Many have noticed that Middle Eastern corporations, in contrast, have not because homosexuality is illegal in the Middle East.

So it’s no surprise that Disney’s latest Toy Story prequel ‘Lightyear’, according to New York Post is “banned in 11 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt” because two same-sex characters kiss in the film — a “violation of the country’s media content standards.”

The Media Regulatory Office announced that the animated film Lightyear, which is scheduled for release on 16th June, is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards. pic.twitter.com/f3iYwXqs1D

— مكتب تنظيم الإعلام (@uaemro) June 13, 2022

‘Lightyear’ is the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, voiced by Chris Evans. The movie follows Buzz as he embarks on an intergalactic adventure with some recruits and his robot companion.

According to Insider, “The [same-sex] kiss takes place in the film's first 30 minutes between Buzz Lightyear's best friend and colleague Commander Alisha Hawthorne and her partner during a montage sequence.”

Variety reports that the kiss was cut and then reinstated, following the circulation of a letter to executives from Pixar’s LGBTQ employees and allies who claimed that Disney executives “actively censored overtly gay affection in its feature films.”

Insider also writes that according to producer Galyn Susman, the film “always had the lesbian couple. They've always been a part of the film,” and that “Being able to put back the kiss was important to us. It's a touching moment.”

Which begs the question, why would corporations, including Disney, bother embracing Pride if they can’t do so in every country? Perhaps these corporations don’t truly care about Pride Month or LGBTQ activism — they're simply looking to avoid criticism from the woke mob.