Lightyear: Oklahoma cinema sign promises to ‘fast-forward’ through same-sex kiss
An Oklahoma cinema has been condemned after apologising for the “inconvenience” of having a same-sex kissing scene in Disney and Pixar’s new animated film, Lightyear.
The sign, which was reportedly posted over the weekend but has since been removed, also said theatre staff would do all they could to “fast-forward through that scene”.
“Attention Parents: The management of this theatre discovered after booking Lightyear that there is a same-sex kissing scene within the first 30 minutes of the Pixar movie,” read the sign posted on the window of the 89er Theatre in the city of Kingfisher.
“We will do all we can to fast-forward through that scene, but it might not be exact,” the sign added. “We apologise for any inconvenience this late discovery of this scene causes.”
The message, which has received tremendous backlash on social media, was apparently removed by Monday (20 June), according to KFOR.
According to The Washington Post, the owner of the theatre said “they took the sign down and never actually fast-forwarded through any showing of the movie”.
Chris Evans, who voices Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story spin-off, recently responded to criticism of the same-sex kiss in the film.
Movie warning about 'same-sex kissing scene' sparks controversy in Kingfisher https://t.co/SqTmps3brB
— KFOR (@kfor) June 21, 2022
A Kingfisher #Oklahoma movie theater, the 89'er Theater, had this anti gay sign in front of their door saying that they would try to fast forward every showing of #lightyear until intense public pressure made them remove the sign.
Wtf?
Sadly that’s so Oklahoman. pic.twitter.com/RRqnrFYQNF— Not Glen, All Glenda 🏳️⚧️ (@ReverendSteve) June 21, 2022
Do I expect more from Oklahoma? No, not really. Instilling children with this kind of homophobia and (misplaced) outrage is how we end up with a suicide rate among LGBTQ+ youth that is so high. #Pride #Lightyear pic.twitter.com/qCX6nMMY9f
— Aaron Schekorra (@AaronSchekorra) June 23, 2022
“The real truth is, those people are idiots. Every time there’s been social advancement, as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good,” Evans told Reuters.
Pixar had restored the same-sex kiss in Lightyear earlier in March, after staff released an open letter criticising Disney’s response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
While the nature of the characters’s relationship hadn’t been questioned by production, their kiss had reportedly earlier been cut.
Ever since the film’s release, it has also been banned in at least 14 countries over the kiss scene’s inclusion.