For the first time, the new president of Walt Disney World is gay. George Kalogridis started working for the company as a busboy in 1971 and has risen all the way to the top. While the head of Disney World may not have much say in the process of making Disney movies, it doesn’t stop me from hoping that the move signals that Disney might be ready for its first openly LGBT character.
I say openly gay because we have all heard our gaydar ping watching at least one Disney picture. Here are eight characters who set off alarm bells for us. Be sure to add your favorites in the comments.
Lady Kluck is the take-no-shit, stiff-arming, ass-kicking, mouthy broad in Robin Hood. Her devotion to Marian and her gait leave little question that this lady-in-waiting is just waiting for a lady of her own.
She’s evil, conniving and totally gay. Her obsession with possessing Ariel is icky and doesn’t reflect well on our people, but like it or not she’s family.
Mulan volunteers (as tribute) to take her father’s place in the army, gives herself a drag king name, binds the ladies up, and dons armour to save the Emperor from the attacking Huns. Bonus gay points for convincing her fellow soldiers that dressing in drag and pretending to be concubines is a totally valid military strategy.
Voiced by our fearless gay leader Ellen DeGeneres, Dory is funny, blue, brave, and not at all interested in hooking up with Marlin.
She’s the round, little woman who appears to make all of Cinderella’s dreams come true and something about her reminds us of the neighbor or teacher we had who lived with a “roommate” and a couple of cats. Maybe it’s her resemblance to Professor Sprout, or her affinity for animals, or her Willow Rosenberg-esque way with a wand but this lady shouts gay.
Everything about Belle screams gay. From her sensible attire (blue, of course), love of books, general disinterest in men/getting married, and penchant for sticking up for the underdog, Belle strikes us as gay as a window. Bonus points for finding a beard who is quite literally all beard from head to toe.
Ariel knows she different as much as Harry Potter knows there’s something that sets him apart from the Dursleys. What’s a lesbian mermaid to do? She’s going to risk losing her voice for a pair of legs (the better to scissor you with, my dear). If she’s got to use Eric to get there, well so be it, we’ve all got to kiss a frog or two.
Places all over the internet enjoyed speculating that maybe Merida was a little bit gay. She has unruly hair to match her personality, prefers archery to embroidery, and has no interest in getting married (at least not to any of the suitors who come to try to win her). I wish she had been around when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have spent so many hours fighting my brother over who got to be Robin Hood.
Your turn, who would you add to the list?
