Disney Is So Gay!

Grace recently did me a great service, reminding me, in the way that sometimes only our kids can, of what is important.  Taking advantage of an unseasonably warm winter afternoon, we went for ice cream before starting her homework. (I know, we're so crazy!)  Grace, not entirely pleased with her selection, asked if she could try my sundae.  We were already driving so I told her she had to wait until we got home.  Once home, I offered her a bite of my dessert.  She told me she had changed her mind, threw her arms around me, and said, "Ice cream only lasts a little while, but a hug lasts forever.  Hugs are better than ice cream."  This made me smile for a couple reasons.  One, I didn't have to share my delicious sundae.  Two, it was the perfect reminder that it's not the stuff, the things, the gifts, that our kids need.  Sure, they ask for the trendy clothes or hot toys they see in commercials.  But what they really crave is us.  Our gift to our kids is our time, our presence, our attention.  My kid just wants to hang out with me.  Knowing that feeling won't last forever, what could possibly be more important?

One of our family's favorite ways to hang out is watching movies together, whether at home or on the big screen.  Yes, it can be annoying sometimes.  For every Star Wars or Ghostbusters we get to share with Grace , Amanda and I have to roll our eyes through a Chipwrecked.  It's worth it, of course, because it's about the hanging out, remember?  Next on our list of family movie hang time, is the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast.  To hear some tell it, this would not be spending quality time with Grace.  Instead, we'd be doing her a disservice, or worse. From the Washington Times:

Evangelist Franklin Graham is calling on Christians to boycott Disney due to the company's promotion of homosexuality in its children's movies and cartoons.

Pointing to the inclusion of a gay character in the upcoming Beauty and the Beast live-action remake, Mr. Graham said Disney is, "trying to push the LBGT agenda into the hearts and minds of your children."

Look, I understand if you think homosexuality is a sin.  I understand, if as a theater owner, you opt to not show the movie.  I understand if you sign the boycott petition and skip the movie.  What I don't understand is the outrage.  The outrage at Disney including a character (in 2017!) that represents people Grace sees in her daily life and her extended family.  The outrage about an "exclusively gay moment" that has yet to even be fully described.  Unless Lumiere bends Cogsworth over and grinds his gears with one (or more, kinky!) of his six-inch candles, I think Grace will be just fine.  LeFou and Gaston may share a kiss, or hold hands, or stare longingly into each others eyes.  These are actions Grace could see on any street in any town across the country, not something from which she needs to be shielded.  Disney is being inclusive, not promoting, as the actual petition calls it, a "harmful sexual political agenda."

Let's assume Disney does have sinister motives beyond trying to sell movie tickets.  What if I make Grace wear a tin foil hat?  Will that make her less susceptible to having The Agenda beamed directly into her innocent, apparently extremely malleable mind?  Is this hypnotizing Agenda stronger than honest conversations she can/will have with her parents?  I doubt it.  If during the movie her tin hat falls off, I am no more afraid Grace will be turned gay by what she sees on-screen than I am that she will fall in love with a yak in a waistcoat or begin talking to the teapot.  No movie moment is going to destroy your child.  Even if there is a mysterious LBGT agenda, I imagine it has less to do with raising godless fornicators and more to do with equality for all, being comfortable with who you are, embracing those different than you, and loving who you love.  If so, consider the agenda pushed  in our household.  For fun, though, let's spin this scenario one step further.  Suppose, through a little Disney magic and sprinkling of fairy dust, taking Grace to see  this movie actually makes her gay.  So what?  I'd be proud to have a gay daughter.  Heck, for all I know, I have one.  I'm not going to love her less if she likes girls.  I would hope the people signing the boycott petition would not love their gay kids any less either. 

In all likelihood, the "controversial" gay moment will sail right over Grace's head.  If it doesn't, we'll talk about it.  It won't be a big deal. I think she'll be happy enough watching Belle on the big screen while wearing her bright yellow costume dress.  Just to piss off the haters, I might wear mine, too.