Donald Duck Comic set to feature its first lesbian couple – Possibly, LGBT duck couple
The Dutch edition of the Donald Duck comic books is planning to include a lesbian couple for the first time after a 10-year-old girl challenged its lack of LGBT characters. Donald Duck editor-in-chief Joan Lommen quickly agreed with the criticism and promised to include a same-sex couple in the comic soon. Upcoming Disney film 'The Jungle Cruise', starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, will also feature a gay character.
Fenna, a 10-year-old girl, who is claimed to have two fathers and two mothers, raised the problematic issue on the children’s news show Jeugdjournaal last week.
“My parents are gay and lesbian and I think it’s important that it’s just as normal. But in Duck City it’s as if they don’t exist at all.” she complained.
“There are no gays or lesbians in Donald Duck. I’ve checked them all!’”
Fenna added that she wasn’t asking for any of the main characters to change their sexuality. ‘Just the characters in the background. You see lots of couples, a few of those extras could be gay.
Fenna said it was “ridiculous” that there was no LGBT+ representation in the Donald Duck comic, which is published in the country on behalf of Disney.
Speaking to Dutch news portal NOS, Donald Duck editor-in-chief Joan Lommen agreed with the criticism and promised to include a same-sex couple in the comic soon.
The publisher has already made a tweak thanks to Fenna’s request, changing a cartoon in an upcoming comic. The strip had already been drawn, featuring a man and a woman on a date surrounded by hearts—but was altered to instead feature two women.
Disney has come a long way on LGBT+ issues…
While this is not the first Disney property to feature same-sex couples, the change agreed to by Joan Lommen, clearly signifies the company’s increasing ease with putting LGBT+ content into its material.
Upcoming Disney film ‘The Jungle Cruise’ will also feature a gay character, though it is unclear how heavily his sexuality will be featured.
Jungle Cruise will feature the first official Disney gay character (Jack Whitehall) as well as a coming out scene. But it won’t mention the word ‘gay’ or even male pronouns for his love interest.
During the test screening, McGregor (Jack Whitehall) ) comes out by revealing his sexual orientation to Frank (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson). According to TMZ, the official release scheduled for 24 July 2020.
However, Disney’s mammoth Marvel and Star Wars cinematic universes have never featured a single visibly LGBT+ character in any of its 25 or more films.
Industry insiders have hinted that Disney is reluctant to include LGBT characters in major international blockbusters due to fears of a potential negative reaction in overseas markets.
