Today, Pixar made history with the introduction of the studio’s first gay main character. Pixar’s short film Out follows the story of Greg, a man who struggles to come out to his parents as he prepares to move into the city with his boyfriend, Manuel.
According to Variety, “Greg’s inner turmoil rises as his parents surprise him and come to help him pack.” Then, in a “magical turn of events,” Greg switches bodies with his dog, “and as he tries to hide evidence of his relationship, he soon realises he shouldn’t hide who he truly is from his parents.”
Out is a huge win for LGBTQIA+ representation in animation, and the reaction from Pixar fans is just as heartwarming at the film itself.
Multiple Twitter users admitted that the film made them cry, and one user said Out is “not only a beautiful work of art, it’s a fantastic heartfelt story of love and acceptance. I hope this opens the door to more inclusive love stories being told in the mainstream.”
Greg isn’t the only LGBT character we’ve met in the world of animation. In Pixar’s most recent full-length film Onward, Lena Waithe voices a purple lesbian cyclops, and Variety reports that Toy Story 4 and Finding Dory also feature gay and lesbian couples in the backgrounds of films.
Just this year, we’ve also seen gay, lesbian and bisexual characters featured in animated series including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Cleopatra in Space, Castlevania, Ducktales and more. However, Out appears to be the first animated film featuring a member of the LGBT community as a main character.
Speaking of the LGBT community, hear about Hallmark’s blunder below:
Out is available to watch on Disney Plus as part of its SparkShorts series, showcasing the independent projects of Pixar creators. It’s an inspiring step in a more inclusive direction and definitely worth a watch.
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