Russia to Ban Live-Action Beauty and the Beast Over Gay Character?

It would seem that Russia has no interest in Disney’s newest film.

Recently, it was announced that actor Josh Gad’s character LeFou would be portrayed as Disney’s first openly-gay character in the live-action Beauty and the Beast film, set to hit U.S. theaters later this month. The news is apparently not sitting well over in Russia, where many are claiming the film breaks a law from 2013 condemning “gay propaganda” targeting children.

This isn’t the first instance of banning the new film. A theater in Alabama announced earlier this week that it would not show the film as well due the sexual orientation of LeFou. The theater’s Facebook page did not shy away from its reasons.

I think this is the dumbest piece of news that I’ve read in some time. Banning a movie for gay propaganda? Seriously? That’s insane. It’s all the more disappointing in this day for a United States theater to ban the film for this reason. My biggest frustration is that, if you watch the 90s animated film, it isn’t much of a stretch to assume LeFou is gay. It just isn’t flat-out stated.

All in all, there’s a reason I don’t live in Russia. But c’mon Alabama, you are better than this. Their loss, though, as Beauty and the Beast is set to possibly break some records in late March in terms of domestic box-office and opening weekend numbers. I still have my tickets.

 

-Kyle A. Goethe