National Council of Churches of Singapore NGEKG fesse 14 March 2017 The National Council of Churches Singapore ‘THE GAY AGENDA IN DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ‘Dear Pastors ena Church Leagers, For years, Osney has always been associated wih wholesome value. In recent years, Disney nas Ineeased racial and enc avers in he characters Ins soils as well 3 reotsting ts femal cheracers by preserting hem a protagonist However, Walt Disneys new live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast potrays the ‘character, LeFou, a6 gay. il Condon, he decor of the movie and an openly gay man, {reated hs sub-plot. nan interview wi a Britsh gay magazine, Atte, Condon offers this SoscnptonorLeFou: LoFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day ‘wens fo kiss Gaston He's contused bout wnat ne wants. M's somebody ‘who's ust realizing at he has these Teeings. And Josh ie, dosh aa, who Pays the character] makes someting realy subtle and delcicus out oft. And {at's what has ls payot alte end, wich Laon want a give aay In adion, Condon descrbes ths pote as ‘a nice, exdusive gay moment in a Disney ‘The inuson of te gay moment othe story by way of he subplots totaly unnecessary and signals a marked departure tom the cvginal 1091 Disney classi. The ony instance of Same-soxrelalonsiup In Dis’ chdrens entertainment ison smal scoen,n an episode ‘This the fst ime that an expt gay characteris invoduced in @ Disney tig screen production. ay actvits nave appiauded Disney forts courage. For example, Malt Can, Chit tor of| the gay magazine Atitide descrbes the pote as a watered moment or Disney. He ‘05a Is step inthe ght dct and | applaud Disney for berg brave enough to ‘make Ht and in dong so hopely heping change ates and bring about cel socal progress Some Chistian leaders here ae deeply concerned about the LGBT representation in tis ew Dsney movie. They see this an slempt to luence young chasren and soclse ‘hem ata early age ite tnkng thatthe Nomesexual este nora NCS woul ik to upe pasors and church leaders to alt members of thei congregation Shout the homosewal cttet In Disney's re-ako of Beau and fo Boas. We wuld Ike ‘ur parents o be aware of his sang inthe move ad is possible inven on their cildren ‘io wat however sul, oy mene, Coe By. i The," 12:12‘tuts nave shown that watching LGBT characters in popular entertainment may not only resul in gestr acceptance ofthese graups but aso the estes They Rave adopted. According to Edward Schiapea. 2 professor of comparative media sludes at Massachusets Insite of Technology, “Thete Is no doutt that kids seeing pestvely pocayed.goy Characters coud have a sigifcant effec hat would contabute to sich chiens Teeny ‘bout the word an wha isn INCCS would therefore encourage pastors and church leaders to urge members of tec congregations ~ especialy parents — to exorise ascreton in guxsng young cir ‘concerning viewing tis movil, Parenis are aso encouragod obo tortie tothe entertainment choices of her chleren end engage in meaning conversations wi them as toy seek To rake sense of the word in ‘wn they Ive (Proverbs 226, Deuteronomy 65). ‘Above a, NOCS would tHe fo encourage parents 10 help their chien to be rooted inthe feachings of he Bice and the Church and fo develop & bea worldview thet woud enable ‘hem 1 respond to ou reply changing cuir Sistine 2 Sogpet ptf" _ Re Re Pom ey rnin nan Present, NocS (General Secretary, NCCS