Disney Called “Woke” for Latest Pride Collection

The Walt Disney Company is under fire once again for its support of the LGBTQIA+ community. This time, right-wing social media users are outraged about rainbow Mickey Mouse tissue packaging, a collaboration with Kleenex for Pride Month.

The last few years were ripe with culture wars against Disney. Of course, conservatives were never happy about Pride Month merchandise at the Disney parks and on shopDisney. But the real battle began in 2022 when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek denounced Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act (“Don’t Say Gay”). The former Republican presidential candidate passed legislation to dissolve a special governing district held by Walt Disney World Resort, leading to a months-long legal battle.

Related: “it’s a small world” Goes Gay For Disney’s First Pride Nite

Despite the outrage, Disney continued to support the LGBTQIA+ community. They renamed “Rainbow Mickey” merchandise to Disney Pride, marking the first time the company officially acknowledged the collection’s connection to Pride Month. Alongside donating to LGBTQIA+ non-profit organizations throughout June, they announced that they would release Disney Pride merchandise year-round.

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, and Marvel have consciously worked toward LGBTQIA+ representation in films and Disney+ shows. The animated show Baymax! featured a transgender man offering advice on period products, and Strange World (2022) starred a gay teenager.

Kleenex Thailand teamed up with Disney for a rainbow tissue collection last June. The initial advertisement and release garnered little attention online until this month when conservative mega-influencer Libs of TikTok noticed it:

Disney partnered with Kleenex to go all in on LGBTQ propaganda. @Kleenexdesigned special LGBTQ pride tissue packaging with @Disneythemed designs. You can’t even blow your nose without having LGBTQ propaganda shoved in your face. Imagine being so oppressed and marginalized that you get your own special tissues dedicated to you!

Disney partnered with Kleenex to go all in on LGBTQ propaganda. @Kleenex designed special LGBTQ pride tissue packaging with @Disney themed designs.

You can’t even blow your nose without having LGBTQ propaganda shoved in your face.

Imagine being so oppressed and marginalized… pic.twitter.com/FHOOhMOxqf

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 4, 2024

The account shared two anonymously submitted photos of mini-tissue packs with rainbow Mickeys and a shortened version of this television ad:

 

Libs of TikTok neglected to mention that the Disney x Kleenex Pride collection was exclusively available in Thailand, nor did the account note the video’s age. Commenters were outraged, with many again accusing the House of Mouse of turning “woke.”

“We should start making a list of companies that didn’t go woke and conservatives can start supporting them over woke companies,” said @RedWave_Press. “Companies need conservatives or they will lose millions of dollars.”

We should start making a list of companies that didn't go woke and conservatives can start supporting them over woke companies. Companies need conservatives or they will lose millions of dollars.

— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) February 4, 2024

“Disney was once a great American Icon, now it is nothing but a woke propaganda machine,” @Old_SchoolEddie wrote.

Disney was once a great American Icon, now it is nothing but a woke propaganda machine.

— Old School Eddie (@Old_SchoolEddie) February 4, 2024

“Oh how Disney has fallen.. Watching the total decay and self inflicted destruction of a once iconic brand that represented families no longer exists,” @LucyRiles replied. “It’s sad and so very disappointing.”

Oh how Disney has fallen..

Watching the total decay and self inflicted destruction of a once iconic brand that represented families no longer exists.

It’s sad and so very disappointing.

— Lucy Riles (@LucyRiles) February 4, 2024

Should Disney and Kleenex bring the Rainbow Mickey Pride tissues to the United States? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments. 

This post Disney Called “Woke” for Latest Pride Collection appeared first on Inside the Magic.