The first openly gay lead character in a Disney movie is “Greg” from the 2020 film “Onward”, a Pixar animated film distributed by Disney.
Greg is a man who is voiced by Lena Waithe and is in a relationship with another man named “Corey”. While the film does not explicitly state that Greg is gay, it is implied through his relationship with Corey and the fact that he is raising two children with him.
This representation was a significant milestone for Disney, as it was the first time that the company had featured an openly gay character in a leading role. This moment was celebrated by many, but some criticized Disney for not making Greg's sexuality more explicit.
It is important to note that Disney has featured other LGBT characters in its films before, but they were not in leading roles. For example, the character of “LeFou” in the 2017 live-action adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” is shown to have romantic feelings for Gaston, making him the first openly gay character in a Disney live-action film.
While Disney has made progress in representing LGBT characters in its films, there is still room for improvement. Many people believe that Disney should continue to create films that feature diverse characters and storylines, and that the company should be more explicit about its commitment to inclusivity.
