Win or Lose: Real Reason Why Pixar’s Animated Show Did Not Proceed With Transgender Storyline Episode

Pixar’s brand-new animated show, Win or Lose, was supposed to be a big deal. It was going to be Pixar’s first-ever long-form TV series, telling the story of a middle school softball team getting ready for a big game.

Each episode would focus on a different character’s perspective — the players, the parents, the coach, and even the umpire. But one character was supposed to stand out in a way that Pixar fans weren’t expecting. This character was trans, and their gender identity was meant to be part of the story.

That’s right — Pixar, a company known for making animation that tugs at our hearts, was going to include a transgender storyline. It could’ve been a groundbreaking moment in animated TV, especially for younger audiences. But the storyline got cut. Gone. Removed. No more mentions of this character’s gender identity.

So, why introduce this powerful, important story, only to pull it back? Was it too controversial for kids? Let’s dig deeper and find out what went down with this trans storyline, and why Pixar chickened out at the last minute.

Here’s why Pixar moved forward with a transgender storyline in Win or Lose

Win or Lose had everything going for it. A fun sports story, a cast of diverse characters, and a whole lot of heart. The show was supposed to shine a light on what happens when the game is over, looking at the behind-the-scenes lives of everyone connected to the team.

One of those characters was transgender, and Pixar was going to show the audience what it’s like for them to live in their truth. But that storyline didn’t make it into the final cut. While the character is still in the show, the part where their gender identity was a plot point? Yeah, that got chopped.

A lot of the dialogue where the character’s gender was addressed was removed, and this decision happened months ago. So what’s the deal? In a statement, Disney explained (per The New York Times):

When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.

In other words: they didn’t want to force this conversation into a kid’s TV show, no matter how well-intentioned it might have been.

The voice actress expressed disappointment over the shelved transgender character

Enter Chanel Stewart. She’s an 18-year-old transgender actress who was handpicked to voice the character at the center of this controversy. After the announcement that the transgender storyline had been dropped, Stewart spoke candidly to Deadline Hollywood, expressing her disappointment. She said:

From the moment I got the script, I was excited to share my journey to help empower other trans youth. I knew this would be a very important conversation. Trans stories matter, and they deserve to be heard.

She saw the role as a chance to empower trans youth—a way for them to finally see themselves on screen in a meaningful way. To her, it was proof that trans stories matter.

Fans and activists felt the same. To them, scrapping the storyline was just another missed shot at normalizing trans lives in mainstream media.

This isn’t the first time Disney has stepped back from LGBTQ+ representation

This isn’t the first time Disney has faced criticism for shying away from LGBTQ+ representation. In fact, it’s becoming a bit of a trend. Just last month, Polygon reported that an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur — another animated series — was shelved.

That episode featured a trans girl who wanted to play school sports, and it was voiced by transgender and non-binary actor Indya Moore. The episode was supposed to be a big moment for inclusion, but for reasons that seem tied to politics, Disney decided not to air it.

Derrick Malik Johnson, a storyboard artist who worked on the episode, made a heartbreaking post online saying that the episode was being shelved because of political shifts — namely, the re-election of Donald Trump. Johnson expressed his frustration, saying (per NY Post):

It breaks my heart knowing this impactful and amazing [episode] is now about to be considered a lost media episode.

And it’s not just Moon Girl and Win or Lose that have felt the sting of corporate caution. In 2022, Disney took heat for cutting a same-sex kiss from Lightyear — the Pixar film that got a lot of buzz for having LGBTQ+ representation (via Entertainment Weekly).

After backlash, Pixar employees came forward to criticize Disney for its actions, especially following the controversy over Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. CEO Bob Chapek even apologized and vowed to stop donating to Florida politicians (as reported by another EW article). But the damage was done. It seemed like Disney was just tiptoeing around the issue instead of fully embracing it.

But there’s one bright spot here: Pixar did release a short film called Out in 2020. It tells the story of a gay man coming out to his parents. But, to be real, the film didn’t get much mainstream attention. It was only available on Disney+, so it felt like more of a quiet win rather than the bold statement Pixar could have made.

So, yeah — this whole situation with Win or Lose isn’t exactly shocking. Disney and Pixar have repeatedly hesitated when it comes to pushing LGBTQ+ stories, especially in their big animated shows and movies. It’s like they want to be seen as progressive, but they don’t always follow through when the spotlight is on them.

Win or Lose hits Disney+ on February 19, 2025, with 8 episodes lined up.