There has been a lot of controversy over the overtly homosexual content sprinkled throughout Disney’s new live action Beauty and the Beast, set to come out this Friday. Like many parents, I was disappointed to read that a beloved children’s film was heading in this direction.
This was one of my favorite movies as a girl- I loved the characters, the music, and the storyline. My sister and I watched the movie and listened to the soundtrack ad nauseum in our house.
That’s why I was so excited when I heard the local Christian university was putting on the production. It seemed like the perfect alternative to the highly suggestive Disney film. Since it was a play put on by a college that claims a Christ-centered education, how could it be bad for my kids, right?
Society’s message about purity
There was no hint of a homosexual theme anywhere in the musical. However, it was full of inappropriate heterosexual behavior and language. Here are just some examples:
Premarital sex- Most of the exchanges between Lumiere and Babette were sexually charged, with flirting, grabbing, chasing, and “come hither” looks.
Polyamorous relationships- In one scene, Babette accuses Lumiere of cheating on her with several women by name and there is no regret on his part. At the mention of one name in particular, he acts as if he is recounting the affair.
Adultery- Right before Gaston proposes to Belle, he comforts the three women who follow him around like a puppy dog, suggesting that he will still carry on with them after he’s married.
I’m not sure how much of this my eight and five-year-old picked up on, but one thing is clear: the standard for purity in our culture is pretty low, even among those who call themselves Christians.
And the truth is that a clearly gay character in a supposed children’s film really isn’t all that different from what we’ve been entertaining ourselves with. Sensuality of any kind has no place in media that is marketed to children.
How Our Culture Views Love
Besides the sexual overtones, its message about what love is should sound cause for alarm. I am truly failing to see how casting LeFou’s character as homosexual is a “win” for the gay community. Or anyone else for that matter.
He is portrayed as a total buffoon, whose love interest treats him like dirt. Gaston also plans to manipulate Belle into marrying him, and while that plot ultimately fails, he is still greatly admired by LeFou. This isn’t a good message to send to children about “love”, but neither are two of the three featured heterosexual relationships.
And everyone trying to figure out whether the supposed gay scenes are really “too subtle for children to even notice”, are just splitting hairs. We are deluding ourselves if we think we can see the whole film and just overlook a couple of scenes glorifying sin, like it’s no big deal.
If a company deliberately produces a movie with a character and scenes of this nature, then what other worldviews are they promoting?
A few years ago, my kids were innocently watching Disney Junior when a short came on between shows featuring some fairies. The voiceover says “Do you know who makes the seasons? It’s the fairies…” I switched the channel every time that clip appeared.
Our response as parents
Now, I realize simply sheltering your kids doesn’t make the world go away. We can’t possibly shield them from everything.
This is why I talk openly with my children about differing beliefs and perspectives so they are exposed to them under my protection. We love people like Jesus loves people, we pray for hurting people, and we ask God to reveal Himself to them.
But we must be vigilant about what our kids take in through their eyes and ears. Waiting until they are older to discuss some of the difficult issues in life protects them from having to deal with things that their young minds are simply not able to process.
We must remember the wisdom of Philippians 4:8- “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
The issue isn’t homosexuality; it’s purity. It’s the worldview being pushed that removes God as the ultimate authority of morality, while putting man in His place.
The Bible says that any sex outside of marriage is a sin. We should be extremely wary of any form of media that treats sinful lifestyles as if they are no big deal.
Besides being vigilant, we must also be discerning. Let’s not forget we are in a spiritual war and that our enemy is still using the same lie that Eve bought hook, line, and sinker: ”Did God really say…?”
I am not saying you should go see this film. Boycott it by all means. But we should be equally offended by the heterosexual suggestive material and lack of purity in our children’s education, television shows, books, and other media.
Our kids are receiving graphic sex education in schools, girls in youth group are dressing immodestly, and young boys don’t know how to respect women. A gay scene and character in a movie, made by a company whose family values have been declining for the last decade, are just one of the unfortunate signs of the culture we live in.
Disney, Starbucks, and Target don’t have to cater to our morality. They are not Christian businesses, and we shouldn’t be surprised when they don’t act like one.
Absolutely! And I’m glad I’m not the only one with one finger always ready on the remote control! Ha! The other day my little girl was arguing with me about why I didn’t want “Roar” by Katy Perry playing in our home. She “informed” me that I need to understand that she is going to like certain music I’m not going to like – and it’s not because she likes the person, but the music. Hmmm Great teachable moment! I told her she was right – I can’t control what or who she likes. But I can control what and who I invite into my home, where I’ve also invite the Holy Spirit to reside. But, the “it’s my house/my rules” answer didn’t seem to resonate with her very “righteous” attitude. hahaha So, I decided to show her a little deeper glimpse into just what Katy Perry and her music are really about. I pulled up some images from the Grammy Awards night when Katy Perry did what most consider to be a satanic seance, on stage. I brought both of my children over, and showed them a few of the photos — with Katy Perry dressed up not in her typical “bubble-gum pop-star” costumes she wears for more child-appropriate shows, but in an outfit befitting a head witch or other satanic cult figure – and joined by dancers dressed in demon-like costumes. They were gross and frightening photos. And I chose to show them for a very specific purpose: so that my children will not be fooled by the false persona Katy Perry puts on for her younger audiences. She is, what she is – all of it. My daughter was extremely disturbed, and was even brought to tears because she “had no idea” that Katy Perry was like that. I know. sweetheart – most children don’t. Most Christian parents don’t dig deeper or question the source of what their kids are watching, reading, playing or listening to. Or, Heaven forbid, they simply don’t care. It’s a shame. If we want them to have a deep relationship with Christ, then we need to teach them to have deep understanding of ALL of the influences in their lives!
That is awesome, Rebecca! I love how you turned it all into a teachable moment. I am more and more convinced each day that we need to just stop watching Disney, Dreamworks, etc. altogether in our home. All the quality (true) Christian programs out there for kids now offer a great alternative!
FYI – if you are actually watching the new Disney movie, LeFou does actually recognize that Gaston is not a good guy and that for all his good looks, he is a bad guy. Almost a mirror of Enchanted. I would counter that the overall story line, where Belle does not allow herself to be walked on, believes in duty, honor and love, and is a champion for civilized behavior, makes up for the fool.
The world is full of inappropriate people. It’s good to show kids models of people who live with dignity among them.
This is exactly how I feel about this except you actually put it into words!!
Well said and I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for writing this!
This is so well said, my thoughts exactly only explained a lot better than I could have. My daughter is not yet two, but I already have these debates in my head; where do you draw the line between sheltering and making sure she is prepared for the world? It is so hard to know, but prayfully thinking through this kind of stuff definitely helps.
As a homeschooling mom, I still struggle with defining that line. What I’ve found is that by creating a Christ-centered environment for my kids at home and educating them about different worldviews so they can defend their faith, they will have the “best of both”. We can help our children be disciples and readers of God’s truth by training them ourselves first, apart from the majority of secular influences. If our children love and serve God & are equipped to fight this spiritual battle when they’re grown, then we’ve done our job! An article I wrote last year explains a lot of this: https://calledtomothering.com/2016/06/29/why-sheltering-your-kids-is-a-good-thing/
Right on! Appreciate your perspective and conviction.
We have been extremely conservative about what our children view and listen to. I think the line between sheltering and protecting, lies within the motive of exposure to content. Sin should not be entertainment. Not for our children, or for us. Reality is, the media and entertainment industries glorify sin often — and even Christians often embrace it, justifying things as humorous or just entertaining. The danger is, we become desensitized — and we begin making excuses for enjoying the very things that held our Savior to the cross.
Thank you for this piece. It is so well written, Marisa!
I didn’t grow up with access to Disney or Nickelodeon, so it was always a non-issue in my family. We watched the animated films and sometimes I caught a episode of something at a friend’s house, but that was about it. I never felt like I was left out (until college when everybody started reminiscing over shows, at least).
That being said, there is a purpose in staying connected to the world. It lets you be the light in a dark place. I understand being very careful with what young children watch, but I’ve often seen where shielding crosses over into the teenage years. It takes away a voice of reason that otherwise could have influenced peers. Even, “I choose not to read/watch that” has more of an impact than, “I’m not allowed.”
I gotta say, for me a bigger issue was Belle saving the Beast after she’d escaped. I was all, “Kids, if you’re kidnapped and you escape, you are under absolutely no obligation to go back and save your kidnapper.”