Queer character in Pixar’s latest movie leads to ban in four countries

The latest animated feature from Pixar, Onward, enjoyed the number one position in the US box office last weekend. It took just over $40 million in the US, plus a further $28 million internationally.

However, that might have been a slightly higher international haul if the movie hadn’t been banned in four Middle Eastern countries. The ban in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia came about because the movie includes a character in a same-sex relationship.

Actress, writer and producer Lena Waithe voices the part of a cyclops police officer named Specter. They are the first character in a Pixar movie to expressly be in a same-sex relationship.

Related: Lena Waithe to voice Pixar’s first out-gay character

During the movie – minor spoiler alert! – Specter says, “It’s not easy being a parent… my girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out, OK?”

Waithe told Variety last week that she specifically asked if she could include a reference to having a girlfriend somewhere in her character’s dialogue.

Although Specter is not one of the main characters, and this reference is the only allusion to her sexuality, it was too much for the four aforementioned countries.

Onward, which follows two teenage elf brothers as they set off on a quest, is showing in other Middle East countries. This includes Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.

Russia reportedly changed the word ‘girlfriend’ to partner for its dubbed version of the movie.

Related: Disney+ to make Beauty & The Beast sequel about Gaston and “gay” sidekick LeFou

Despite being number one in the US box office, movie industry pundits say Onward’s $40million haul in the US was at the lower end of expectations. There is speculation this may be linked to some people avoiding theaters over coronavirus fears.

However, with it set to open in several other international territories, and with spring break coming up, the child-friendly movie is expected to continue to do strong business over the coming weeks.

www.queerty.com/queer-character-pixars-latest-movie-leads-ban-four-countries-20200311?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Kevin Nealon Takes a Hilarious Hike with David Sedaris: WATCH

Former SNL cast member Kevin Nealon went hiking with David Sedaris and it was just as uncensored and hilarious as you might imagine.

Sedaris chatted with Nealon about his FitBit goals, losing toenails and frequently finding them in his socks, embarrassing questions at the airport, his Masterclass, and customers that defecate at the Gap.

Said Sedaris: “Hugh, my boyfriend, worked at The Gap. We call it The Crap now because he told me that story about people defecating in the dressing room. And I repeated it one night in a bookstore and a woman came up and said ‘I work at Banana Republic. That happens all the time.’ And then I repeated that, and then the next night somebody came and said ‘I work at Target’ and it happens all the time. And they said at Target, if someone sh*ts in the dressing room, they make an announcement about some unclaimed merchandise left in the dressing room. And people do it in the circular dressing racks at K-Mart, and it’s not about needing to use the bathroom. It’s about leaving your mark.”

They also talked burglars, Sedaris’s culottes, wearing Spanx on TV, public displays of affection, signing his same book over and over, his dislike of dogs, not being a morning person, picking up litter in England at night, his three kidney stone experiences, getting medical drugs easily in France, how an audience gives you what you need, his first heartbreak, and being honest about his sexuality after his girlfriend ran away with his best friend in the ’70s, when there were few out gay people.

Said Sedaris: “You couldn’t say, ‘well, I’m gay.’ you’re sure, you just don’t want to admit it. … It’s nice to see kids [today] who don’t have to form an alternate personality. And live a lie, and hide themselves. Because it’s not healthy, it just deforms you.”

They also chatted about writing while drinking, the notion of writing a book at Starbucks, his essay about Anne Franks’ apartment in Amsterdam, getting off on writing for The New Yorker magazine, fist fights, his prostate, using his cell phone, limiting time on social media, offending a fan by drawing something in her book.”

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Kevin Nealon Takes a Hilarious Hike with David Sedaris: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: March 11, 2020

HRC IS HOSTING TWO PRESS CALLS TO REVEAL THE BUSINESS IMPACT OF ANTI-LGBTQ STATE BILLS: A national business letter is calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular. In this letter, which was organized by America Competes and HRC,  business leaders stressed the importance of fairness and opportunity for their customers, their employees and their employees’ families.

• In Alabama, HB303/SB219 will intensify the many challenges already facing Alabama’s transgender youth. HRC is hosting a call at 11:30 a.m. CT (12:30 p.m. ET). Contact [email protected] for more details, including call-in information.
• In Arizona, the legislature is considering a bill that will require transgender students at public schools to participate on sports teams according to their sex assigned at birth, and not according to the gender they identify as now. HRC will also release polling about Arizonans’ opinions of the bill and their legislators. The call will take place at 11:30 a.m. local time (2:30 p.m. ET). Contact [email protected] for more details, including call-in information.

HRC MOURNS YAMPI MÉNDEZ AROCHO, TRANS MAN KILLED IN PUERTO RICO: Yampi Méndez Arocho, a 19-year-old transgender man killed in Moca, Puerto Rico, on March 5. On social media, Arocho shared his love for basketball and the NBA — donning Miami Heat apparel. The biography line on his Facebook reads simply, “Humility Prevails.” Local LGBTQ advocates are calling for authorities to thoroughly investigate this crime, including an investigation into whether or not this was a bias-motivated crime. More from HRC.

WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY — PREVENTION STARTS WITH US, A SPOTLIGHT ON YESTERDAY’S NATIONAL WOMEN AND GIRLS HIV & AIDS AWARENESS DAY: Women and Girls HIV & AIDS Awareness Day falls during Women’s History Month. Annually on March 10, we commemorate this day and bring awareness to the HIV epidemic and how it affects women and girls around the world. More from HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Intiative Tori Cooper (@MsToriCooper1) at HRC. 

1 out of every 9 women living with #HIV in the U.S. is unaware of her status. This National Women and Girls HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, learn how we can #StopHIVTogether. #NWGHAAD t.co/AP61Hg8axG

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 10, 2020

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY TO THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: President Obama highlighted the benefits of this act in a new video. More from CNN.

IN THE STATES 

HRC ALABAMA ELEVATE FELLOWS ATTEND 23RD ANNUAL HIV AWARENESS DAY AT THE MONTGOMERY STATE HOUSE: More from HRC. 

HRC Alabama Elevate Fellows attended the 23rd Annual #HIV Awareness Day at the Montgomery State House. They spoke on the importance of including all voices – especially trans women of color – within conversations on the HIV epidemic and economic stability. pic.twitter.com/ZsSuft2Vic

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) March 10, 2020

ICYMI — HRC ANNOUNCES HONOREES FOR 25TH ANNUAL NASHVILLE DINNER: More from HRC and All Access.

• To request media credentials, please email your full name, outlet affiliation, role and cell phone number to [email protected]. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

ASIAN LGBTQ ATHLETE AND ACTIVIST AMAZIN LÊTHỊ (@AMAZINLETHI) HONORED AT BROOKLYN NETS PRIDE NIGHT: More from Gay Times.

THE DIGITAL TRANSGENDER ARCHIVE IS WORKING TO PRESERVE TRANS HISTORY AROUND THE WORLD: The archive was founded and directed by K.J. Rawson, a professor at the College of the Holy Cross. More from them. 

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

TWO LESBIANS FROM PAKISTAN DENIED ASYLUM IN U.K., MAY BE DEPORTED: Samina Iqbal, 52, and Nazia Iqbal, 48, have been living in Stockport in Manchester for the past decade. More from Pink News.

ON BEING LGBTQ IN POLAND’S “LGBTQ-FREE” ZONES: More from Channel 4.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Washington Blade sits down with Yariel Valdés González, a reporter who was recently released from ICE custody; NewNowNext spotlights podcast guide to LGBTQ women in history; Today shares how Nancy Dawson launched Transform Cincy, a nonprofit for trans teens to find a new wardrobe for free

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading

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Dr. Anthony Fauci Gives No Fs About Hannity’s Coronavirus Propaganda, Gives His Viewers ‘An Accurate Idea About What Goes On’ — WATCH

FOX News host Sean Hannity has been pushing propaganda for days in praise of Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus and perhaps expected White House coronavirus task force leader and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Dr. Anthony Fauci to do the same, but Fauci was able to get a few facts out to the faux news followers.

Said Hannity: “So the average age mortality for corona is 80. So this virus is impacting people with compromised immune systems, underlying other medical conditions are the most vulnerable. What about the other 99 percent? If people got the virus, worst-case scenario, how dangerous is it to them, compared maybe to the regular flu?”

READ THIS NEXT: Coronavirus Update: 1,000 Cases, Tax Filing Extension, Email Crash, TSA Agents, Jim Bakker

Said Fauci: “About 80 percent of the people who get infected will do well, they’ll get sick. They’ll be uncomfortable, they’r not gonna feel well, but they’re going to spontaneously recover. About 15 percent of them, according to the data from China, Korea, etc, those are individuals that are going to get into trouble, and the mortality in that group is very high.”

“But Sean, to make sure your viewers get an accurate idea about what goes on, you mentioned seasonal flu,” Fauci added. “The mortality for seasonal flu is 0.1 [percent]. The mortality for this is about two, two-and-a-half percent. It’s probably lower than that, it’s probably closer to one. But even if it’s one, it’s 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu. You gotta make sure that people understand that!”

The post Dr. Anthony Fauci Gives No Fs About Hannity’s Coronavirus Propaganda, Gives His Viewers ‘An Accurate Idea About What Goes On’ — WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Dr. Anthony Fauci Gives No Fs About Hannity’s Coronavirus Propaganda, Gives His Viewers ‘An Accurate Idea About What Goes On’ — WATCH