GLAAD calls for Disney to incorporate LGBT characters into the next Star Wars movie.
The GLAAD organization is calling for Disney to include a non-heterosexual character into the next Star Wars movie. In a new report, the organization has suggested the initiative as “part of [Disney's] studio responsibility index, an annual survey of depictions of LGBT characters in major studio releases.”
According to a recent report, Disney was one of two film studios (the other being Paramount) that did not include a single gay or lesbian character in any of their movies released in 2015. And “as sci-fi projects have the special opportunity to create unique worlds whose advanced societies can serve as a commentary on our own, the most obvious place where Disney could include LGBT characters is in the upcoming eighth Star Wars film,” the organization argues.
But, GLAAD wants more than just a token character. GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis told Variety that, “It is not enough for LGBT characters to simply be present; rather, these characters must be crafted thoughtfully and better reflect the full diversity of the LGBT community,” she stated. “Leaving LGBT people out of the picture — or including them only as a punchline — keeps old prejudices alive and creates an unsafe environment, not only here in America, but around the world where most audiences see these depictions.”
Via PopCrush
