Pixar’s Win or Lose, the studio’s first original TV series for Disney+, is set to premiere on February 19, 2025. However, its debut has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding the removal of a transgender character’s storyline.
The animated series centers around various characters working towards a championship softball game. It gained attention after it was revealed that a storyline affirming the transgender identity of one character had been cut. In December 2024, The Hollywood Reporter reported that dialogue affirming the character’s gender identity was removed. Disney defended this decision, explaining that certain topics, particularly around LGBTQ+ issues, are better left for parents to discuss with their children at their own pace.
Although the character remains in the show, all dialogue highlighting their transgender identity has been omitted. This decision has sparked backlash, with many accusing Disney of continuing its trend of censoring queer content, referencing past controversies like those with Lightyear and Inside Out 2.
Transgender actress Chanel Stewart, who voiced the character, expressed her disappointment in an interview with Deadline, stating that she had been proud to bring a true trans experience to younger viewers. She felt let down by the omission, as she hoped the character’s story would empower trans youth. Former Pixar employees also criticized the move, arguing that it reflects a broader issue of Disney sidestepping LGBTQ+ representation in its media.
The decision has sparked a significant online backlash, with many social media users calling for a boycott. Some are particularly upset by the idea that trans children deserve representation and feel that Disney wasted resources editing an already finished episode rather than embracing diversity in storytelling.
Win or Lose debuts on Disney+ on February 19, 2025, but its premiere will likely be remembered as much for this controversy as for its story.