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Disney refuses Saudi Arabia's request to cut 12-second 'LGBTQ reference' from Doctor Strange 2

It only takes 12 seconds to stand for something.

Dr. Strange

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Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Dr. Strange'

Dr. Strange might find himself in multiple universes, but probably not in Saudi Arabia.

Marvel’s follow-up to their 2016 hit starring Benedict Cumberbatch is set to introduce a new character named America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez. In addition to being able to punch holes through the multiverse (nifty power), America is openly gay in the comics and will be represented similarly in the film.

The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia, which regards homosexuality as a capital offense, has asked Disney to cut “LGBTQ references” before screening. Egypt and Kuwait have already prohibited the movie.

Nawaf Alsabhan, Saudi Arabia’s general supervisor of cinema classification, told the Guardian that the cuts would amount to “barely 12 seconds” and include America referring to her “two moms,” but noted even that arguably-minute portion of the film would be “very tough to pass” according to the kingdom’s standards.

So far, Disney has refused the request. And it doesn’t look like they’re backing down.

Though the movie has not been officially banned, it would not be the first Marvel film to be stripped from Saudi Arabia’s theaters. In November 2021, “The Eternals” was not released and was removed from websites due to portraying a same-sex couple. The two married characters, Phastos (Brian Henry) and Ben (Haaz Sleiman) share a kiss. And only one month later, Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” suffered the same fate for having a nonbinary character.

💬Nawaf Alsabhan, Saudi Arabia’s general supervisor of cinema classification, said: “It’s just her talking about her moms, because she has two moms. Being in the Middle East, it’s very tough to pass something like this.”https://t.co/W2L1XKWNjX
— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) April 26, 2022

Disney has received an increasing amount of attention (both in the form of praise and criticism) for its role in LGBTQ advocacy.

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On the one hand, the franchise offers an ever increasing amount of representation not only for the LGBTQ community, but for other marginalized, underrepresented groups. On the other hand, fans have also expressed feelings of betrayal over the company previously donating money to Republicans who supported Florida's so-called “Don’t Say Gay.” Some Pixar employees also came forward claiming the majority of inclusive scenes featured in the animated film “Turning Red” had been cut by studio executives.

So, is Disney’s refusal to cut these scenes from "Dr. Strange 2" simply pandering in order to maintain some kind of “woke” image? The film’s lead doesn’t seem to think so. In a press tour for the movie, Cumberbatch shared how the “expected disappointment“ of the ban further emphasized the necessity for inclusion.

“We’ve come to know from those repressive regimes that their lack of tolerance is exclusionary to people who deserve to be not only included, but celebrated for who they are and made to feel part of a society and a culture and not punished for their sexuality,” he said. “It feels truly out of step with everything that we’ve experienced as a species, let alone where we’re at globally more as a culture, but frankly, it’s just even more reason why this isn’t tokenism to include an LGBTQ+ community member."

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” promises a journey across alternate realities while confronting power foes. Hopefully by Disney maintaining its stance, we will get closer to our very own reality where there is more tolerance and compassion.

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disney refuses to cut lesbian reference in dr. strange 2

Chewy Claus is fulfilling thousands of pet wishes this season. Have you written your letter yet?

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Adorable Dexter and his new chew toy. Thanks Chewy Claus.

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Every holiday season, millions of kids send letters asking for everything from a new bike to a pony. Some even make altruistic requests such as peace on Earth or helping struggling families around the holidays.

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Does your dog dream of a month’s supply of treats or chew toys? Would your cat love a new tree complete with a stylish condo? How about giving your betta fish some fresh decor that’ll really tie its tank together?

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Who cares what your 'bah-humbug' neighbors think?

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People can take a lot of heat from their neighbors if they start putting up holiday decorations too early. It’s a bit of a holiday faux pas to put up Christmas lights until after you’ve digested your Thanksgiving turkey, but some folks are so full of Christmas spirit, they just can’t resist.

If that's you, the good news is that you now have an excuse for putting up decorations before anyone else on your block. (Not that you needed one in the first place.) According to science, decorating for the holidays early makes you happier. Who can argue with that?

Psychoanalyst Steve McKeown told Unilad that the good feelings stem from a sense of nostalgia. “Although there could be a number of symptomatic reasons why someone would want to obsessively put up decorations early, most commonly for nostalgic reasons either to relive the magic or to compensate for past neglect,” he said.

“In a world full of stress and anxiety people like to associate to things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of childhood,” McKeown continued.

Psychologist Deborah Serani told Today that changing the scenery inside and outside our homes is a great way to get a quick hit of feel-good hormones.

"It does create that neurological shift that can produce happiness," she said. "I think anything that takes us out of our normal habituation, the normal day in, day out ... signals our senses, and then our senses measure if it's pleasing or not.

"Christmas decorating will spike dopamine, a feel-good hormone," Serani added.

Putting up holiday decorations also sends an excellent message to our neighbors. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that people who decorate for the holidays are seen by their neighbors as more sociable.

The study found that people who decorate for the holidays are perceived as “friendly and cohesive” and that the added holiday cheer can change people’s perceptions of their neighbors. People believe that their unsociable neighbors are actually more social if they put up decorations. The study concluded that “residents can use their home's exterior to communicate attachment and possibly to integrate themselves into a neighborhood's social activities.”

So decorating your home for the holidays will not only make your family happier but make your neighbors’ as well. Looks like a win-win here.

YouGov conducted a survey to find out when most people feel it's appropriate to start decorating for the holidays. A poll of 2,748 U.S. adults who celebrate Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa found that 27% put their winter holiday decorations up before Thanksgiving, while 69% wait until after Thanksgiving. The most common time was the day after Thanksgiving when 25% of people started decorating for the winter holidays.

But what about those bah-humbug neighbors who will judge you if you start decorating too early? Serani says that they may have some bad memories from childhood associated with the holidays so their disdain may have nothing to do with you at all.

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