Ellen DeGeneres and Disney/Pixar announced Tuesday that they would be making a sequel to the 2003 hit Finding Nemo, entitled Finding Dory, and starring her character from the original film. Did anyone else’s gaydar start beeping at director Andrew Stanton’s comment, “One thing we couldn’t stop thinking about was why she was all alone in the ocean on the day she met [Nemo’s dad] Marlin. In Finding Dory, she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way”? Could it be that Dory has lesbian moms or gay dads?
Of course, Dory herself could be a lesbian, voiced by arguably the most prominent out lesbian in America. But it seemed that she and Marlin might have a thing together, and I’m okay with that. I still think, though (or at least hope), that perhaps Ellen’s presence might influence the orientation of other characters.
Disney animator Andreas Deja, a 30-year veteran of the company, told Australia’s News.com.au in July 2011 that he could foresee same-sex parents in a future Disney film. “I think once they (Disney chiefs) find the right kind of story with that kind of concept, they will do it,” he said. (Is it significant that this was reported in Australia, the setting of Finding Nemo? Probably not, but if I’m going to weave a fabrication, I’m going to pull at threads.)
As I wrote a few months ago, the new Disney World president is gay, Disney itself is one of the most LGBT-friendly corporations in the country, and most of their classic films star characters with non-traditional families. It would almost be more out of character for the company not to include a same-sex headed family in an upcoming film—especially since Finding Dory won’t be out until 2015. By that time, we might actually have marriage equality, employment equality, and an even greater number of people who welcome LGBT families into their lives and communities.
I’m speculating completely, of course. All we really know is what Ellen told us on her show: She’s read the script and “It’s fantastic. It’s hilarious. It’s warm. It’s everything that you want it to be.”
Well, I want it to have lesbian moms.
In one swoop, Disney could do more to bolster the self-worth of children with same-sex parents, and to broaden the understanding of those without, than any company has ever done. And with six million adults and children in the U.S. having LGBT parents, and three million LGBT people having raised a child, that’s a lot of devoted fans—almost certainly enough to make such a storyline a good bet compared with Cars 2 or Shrek Forever After.
Just don’t have Ellen’s spouse Portia di Rossi voice one of Dory’s moms, because that would be weird. Might I suggest lesbian moms and comedians Wanda Sykes and Rosie O’Donnell instead? Or gay dads and actors Neil Patrick Harris and Dan Bucatinsky, if they’re going to go the dad route?
Would I bet a lot of money on this? Unfortunately not. But I can keep dreaming . . . or as Dory says, “Just keep swimming.”
In the meantime, enjoy Ellen’s announcement with your gillfriends, buoyfriends, or spouses.