Beau DeMayo Suggests ‘X-Men ’97’ Was Affected by Disney’s Alleged “Less Gay” Policy

If you’ve been keeping up with recent news, you might have seen IGN’s report suggesting that Disney has modified its policies on LGBTQ+ scenes in animated films. According to this report, following the controversy over the lesbian kiss in Lightyear, animators were instructed to tone down similar scenes in this year’s Inside Out 2.

While the full impact of these changes is still unfolding, someone who, like Gina Carano and J.K. Rowling recently, tends to make headlines even when not directly involved, has weighed in. Yes, it’s Beau DeMayo.

Although DeMayo’s current dispute with Disney is a separate issue, he has been a prominent online figure, often inserting himself into various stories. In this case, DeMayo alleges that X-Men ’97 was also affected by Disney’s new policy.

As you might be aware, Disney is currently undergoing a transformative period with numerous changes impacting its films and shows. While the ultimate direction and content Disney will produce in the coming years remains uncertain, it’s clear that the failure of Lightyear has had a noticeable effect on the company’s current strategies:

“It is, as far as I know, still a thing, where leadership, they’ll bring up Lightyear specifically and say, ‘Oh, Lightyear was a financial failure because it had a queer kiss in it. That’s not the reason the movie failed.”

Source: IGN

This appears to have significantly impacted Inside Out 2, as writers and animators were instructed to minimize any references to Riley being an LGBTQ+ character. This suggests that Lightyear’s failure was attributed to the lesbian kiss scene rather than its disconnection from the Toy Story lore and its confusing plot. Regardless, it seems that Inside Out 2 was not the only project affected by these changes:

It’s unclear whether DeMayo’s claims are accurate, but X-Men ’97 did feature a controversial moment that seemingly had no impact on the show’s popularity or reception. This suggests that such moments might not significantly affect the overall reception of a film.

As we’ve noted, toxic “fans” often don’t sway modern television. Amidst all these issues, it’s possible that Disney and Pixar are simply seeking a scapegoat. We’ll be sure to keep you updated on this story!

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