Elsa’s new ballad, “Show Yourself,” sounded pretty dang gay. The Frozen 2 soundtrack reignited the potential relationship. “Let it Go” became a coming-out anthem, and the hashtag was born in the hopes that Frozen 2 would canonically confirm Elsa as Disney’s first lesbian princess. Many queer viewers saw a kindred spirit in Elsa, reading her hidden ice powers as a metaphor for hidden sexuality. Image: Disney/Pixarįans have been calling for more LGBTQ representation in Disney movies for years, most notably with the #GiveElsaAGirlfriend movement. Officer Spector (far right) only appears in two scenes. Officer Spector’s throwaway line still leaves Disney/Pixar miles behind its competitors. Stigmas against portraying queer relationships in children’s entertainment have been thoroughly smashed, with beloved animated series like Steven Universe and Arthur telling thoughtful LGBTQ stories in a family-friendly way. But fully embracing the LGBTQ community means going beyond small gestures of inclusivity. It’s a step forward for the company, which has been making moves toward better LGBTQ representation in recent years.
This one line, delivered in passing with no follow-up, marks the first verbal recognition of a character’s gay relationship in an animated Disney movie. In the first, she commiserates with her fellow officer, Mel Rodriquez’s centaur cop Colt Bronco, about being a new stepparent, saying, “My girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out.” Queen & Slim screenwriter Lena Waithe plays a cyclops cop named Officer Spector who appears in two scenes.
Onward, Pixar’s first non-sequel movie since 2017’s Coco, notably features the studio’s first openly gay character.