Why Isn’t Disney+’s LGBTQIA+ Pride Special Streaming on Disney+?
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital EditorNext week, Disney+ will release its second annual variety special for Pride month — featuring a parade of talent celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community “through song and storytelling.”But “Say It With Pride: Disney+ Celebrates Pride 365” won’t be available on Disney+ itself.
Rather, the special will premiere June 30 at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+’s YouTube and Facebook channels.Asked why “Say It With Pride” will not be distributed on Disney+, a company spokesperson declined to provide an explanation.
Note that last year’s “This Is Me: Pride Celebration Spectacular” from Disney+ also streamed only on YouTube and Facebook.According to Disney+’s announcement, the upcoming special “aims to uplift voices from the community to discuss their journeys, celebrate the achievements and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community, and look toward a future that embodies diversity and unity with PRIDE.” Why doesn’t that fit into the Disney+ programming lineup?
One way to look at this is that “Say It With Pride” is, essentially, an infomercial for Disney+ — a vehicle to tout the LGBTQIA+ characters and stories on the service.
