A transgender storyline will no longer be included in Disney’s Win or Lose when it streams in February.
The show, which includes eight episodes, rotates between various characters who are involved with a softball team in a middle school.
Chanel Stewart, the 18-year-old transgender actress set to voice the role, said she was “very disheartened” when she learned that the dialogue pertaining to her character’s gender identity had been scrapped.
“From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth,” Stewart said. “I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.”
Her mother, Keisha, echoed that sentiment.
“There may be some parents out there who are not ready to have that conversation, but this is the world that we live in and everyone should be represented,” she told Deadline. “Everyone deserves to be recognized. And it felt like it was just another setback for the LGBTQ community, because it’s very hard on transgender teenagers… transgender people, period.”
Stewart’s character will still be included in Win or Lose, but will now be portrayed as a cisgender straight girl, Stewart said.
“When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline,” a Disney representative said.
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