Exploring the Impact of Queer Coding in Disney Villains

Did you notice the queer coding in Disney Villains?
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Join us as we explore the often overlooked and problematic representation of LGBTQ+ characters in Disney films. We dive into the "queer coded villain" trope and how it has been used to perpetuate harmful stereotypes. This video is a must-watch for anyone who loves Disney movies and wants to understand the impact of media representation on marginalized communities. We encourage you to embrace your love for these beloved films while also being critical of the messages they may be sending. Let's start the conversation about LGBTQ+ representation in media and work towards a brighter and more inclusive future.
📕 TABLE OF CONTENTS 📕
00:00 Introduction
01:01 What is Queer Coding?
02:56 Disney's Influence In the Media
05:17 Perpetuating Harmful Stereotypes
06:56 Examples of Queer Coding
12:24 Striving For Better LGBTQ+ Representation.
13:52 Conclusion
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Disney and Disability: Media Representations of Disability in Disney and
Pixar Animated Films - dsq-sds.org/article/view/7054...
Deconstructing Disney: Queer Coding and Masculinity in Pocahontas - longreads.com/2021/04/13/deco...
Hook, Ursula, and Elsa: Disney and Queer-coding from the 1950s to the 2010s - mackseyjournal.scholasticahq....
Liberation vs Assimilation in Queer Cinema - @HeyRowanEllis • Liberation vs Assimila...
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[@closetedhistory]

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[@QualityCulture]

Seems like Disney's current strategy for queer "representation" is to slip in a few seconds of a background couple holding hands/hugging, or only mentioning characters' sexuality in passing (just enough so they'll still be able to censor it for certain international audiences, of course). If we're looking for meaningful queer rep I don't think we're gonna find it in Disney any time soon :/
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the queer relationships in The Last of Us! It's been so refreshing and touching to see, especially in such a mainstream property. -Stef.

[@closetedhistory]

Exactly! They do it strategically to not isolate either audience, those who want LGBTQ+ representation and those who don't. It can be complicated because many of the creators who worked on several Queer coded villains were part of the community themselves, but I don't think it serves as good representation.
They recently had the movie Strange World, which is supposed to have a LGBTQ+ lead but I haven't seen it yet.
I haven't watched The Last of Us just yet, but I played the game when it came out back in the day. I love how organic the storytelling is and I have heard really great things about the show.

[@QualityCulture]

@@closetedhistory I haven't watched Strange World either, maybe you can do a video on it if you do :)
And ooh I highly recommend The Last of Us! Somehow they've managed to make an already-great story even better

[@stephenblack5425]

Ursula is literally based on Drag Queens. So, she's definitely queer, whether it's confirmed or not. Hades also makes my gaydar go insane.

[@closetedhistory]

Yup! She's based on the drag queen, Divine. And yes, me too with Hades!

[@SCP_Wandsman13_13]

Ironic, given James Woods is a homophobe

[@analiasaavedra901]

Honestly I never notices scar being queer coded or the evil queen until you pointed it out. I always thought she was just a strong woman that was seen as a Villain

[@as3957]

I've heard about Scar as a queer coded villain, but I didn't know the evil queen was considered queer coded.

[@closetedhistory]

Thanks for taking a second look with me!

[@BadGuyRants]

Walt Disney didn’t even make Snow White for children, so the point falls flat. I think gay kids adopting villains over the last 90 years has been okay.

[@Timercat123]

Great video ✨✨

[@closetedhistory]

Thank you!! ♥️

[@ArcherdaNerd]

So that's why i get gender envy from them..

[@hurricanemegan8092]

I didn't give this a thought because I'm not part of that community.

[@closetedhistory]

I understand. I hope this was insightful for you! Thanks for commenting ❤️

[@SeasideDetective2]

Accusing Classic Hollywood - or, more accurately, the moralists who applied pressure to Classic Hollywood - of "queer-coding" seems inconsistent to me. Remember, such people didn't simply want gay and queer people to "know their place"; they wanted gays and queers to never have existed in the first place. How can you possibly expect to deny the existence of queerness when you're constantly insinuating it? You can't simultaneously be homophobic on the one hand and completely ignorant of homosexuality on the other. Arguing that the Wicked Queen from SNOW WHITE is a coded lesbian, for example, is a bit of a stretch. It's far more likely that the character was modeled on Hollywood actresses who just happened to be queer in real life, such as Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich. It was the subtext that colored the portrayal, not the animators' design.
And scapegoating Disney diverts attention from the real problem. Of course children are influenced by the entertainment media they consume; that's why they should not be allowed to consume so much of it in the first place! Disney cartoons were never intended as a substitute for real-world parenting, so parents who bring up homophobic children really only have themselves to blame.

[@closetedhistory]

Queer coding in the early days of Hollywood was nuanced. During the time of the Hays Code, it was some of the only representation the community had. It's hard to look back with 2024 eyes and hold it to the same standards of today.
As far as Disney, I think that they have a responsibility to balance the types of representation. It's fine to have Scar (or any other villain) be queer coded, but there needs to be positive representation too.

[@SeasideDetective2]

@@closetedhistory So do you consider Disney until very recently to be homophobic, homophilic, neutral? What?