The conservatives are mad about cartoons again. As someone who covers the medium here at TheGamer, thไis isn’t the first time I&rs🎶quo;ve seen needless outrage thrown at shows or films that seek to both further representation and make young viewers aware of important issues.
Much like 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Turning Red before it, Baymax features a scene where our healthcare companion finds himself shopping for tampons and is taught about periods from a selection of diverse characters of different body types, genders, and ethnicities. It’s the woke agenda out in full force, so of course certa⛎in pockets of the internet are angry about media daring to teach lessons they’re too afraid to teach themselves🐭. I’m not convinced they’re actually pissed, instead kicking up a stink to punch down on minorities with this weird faux outrage.
But it worked, with a right-wing dispshit sharing an exclusive clip on social media (which wasn’t really exclusive because it went out to several other outlets at the same time) that showed the period scene in full, believing it to be yet another nail in Disney’s woke coffin as it continued to spread woke politics and sexual indoctrination to children like it’s going to turn them into twisted, rainbow-spewing demon spawn. None of that will happen, life w🌌ill continue as normal, and corporations will keep furthering representation even if their business dealings and political donations make their rainbow capitalism feel like an overall pittance.
The scene itself is a small part of the show, and fairly innocent if a little clumsy in how it handles certain representation. Baymax asks a random lady (voiced by 168澳洲🧸幸运5开奖网:The Owl House’s 🌞Sarah Nicole-Robles) for s💛ome advice on feminine hygiene products. Once it becomes clear that he’s here buying them for a young girl, a barrage of random people appear out of nowhere and💮 start recommending all manner of pads, tampons, and more.
It’s a sweet moment, filled with accurate terminology and an approach to the subject that is honest about what periods are and how young viewers will eventually need to know about them. Some start early, some start late, and some won’t have parents to explain what a period is and how to handle them when t🌃he time comes. Baymax doesn’t do exactly that, but it certainly does more than most things out there and represents a big s🦋tep forward.
The trans character did make me cringe a little though, and that comes from someone who has෴ been waiting for Disney to introduce trans characters across its stories. Instead of wearing a badge, charm, or having a part of his character design hint at his queer identity with a bit of subtlety, the dude is just wearing a t-shirt with the flag’s colours blazoned across it. Trans men have periods, that’s an important fact that not everyone is aware of, and it’s🦩 amazing to see Baymax highlight that in a direct way, but it does come off as a little goofy.
But I'm also not the target audience. Younger viewers might not be aware of LGBTQ+ identities or the flags associated with them, and scenes like this will give them knowledge to formulate questions and ask their parents or relatives to teach them more about the world and those within it. Queer people are everywhere, with identities becoming normalised despite so much progress still needing to be made. We don’t always need to hide anymore, and shows like Baymax are showing that, even if the execution could use a bit of work.
There’s I want to talk about, which follows a man clumsily asking another man out on a date as Baymax just vibes in the background. It hasn’t received the same level of attention from bigoted circles because it doesn’t revolve around periods, women, or trans people, but it’s yet another example of clear representation that isn’t afraid to show the romantic bond that can be had betwe🏅en two people of the same sex or gender. It’s lovely, and you’d have to stretch pretty far to find something to be mad about beyond blatant homophobia. I’m sure the internet will manage it though, they always do.
I love that shows and films - when they aren’t censored or cancelled that is - are now depicting examples of periods, trans people, gay romance, and other things that were once forbidden. Right-wing fools who disagree with their intention or believe they exist purely to muddy the minds of young people are wrong and foolish, hoping to stir up controversy wh𒁏ere none exists despite the majority of media still made to appeal to straight white cis men.
As a critic I have always advocated for children’s animation that treats young viewers with respect, and is willing to offer them characters and storylines that handle complex themes that many will resonate 𓆏with whether they might realise it or not. Yet the flipside is also true, and how shows like Baymax are capable of teaching important life lessons and normalising the presence of queer representation in a way that feels welcome and necessary. I’m not sure if it sticks the landing, but the fact it tries at all is worth applauding.
Conservative parents are so afraid to speak to their chilไdren about the world that they&rsq𒐪uo;ll kick up a fuss whenever a television show dares to do it for them. It blows me away every time.
