Lefou, Gaston's sidekick's sexuality has caused countries worldwide to pull the film from being released to reevaluate ratings
Lefou, Gaston's sidekick, praising Gaston while singing and dancing up a storm in the highly controversial scene
Will your child be seeing the movie?
Are you one of the few parents who refuse to take your child to the highly anticipated Beauty And The Beast readaptation? If so, is it because Lefou, Gaston’s sidekick is portrayed as a homosexual character? Whether or not you plan on taking your child to the movie, read on to find out what really happened in the “gay scene” everyone is talking about.
Image
Censorship boards want the scene cut!
After all of the hype leading up to one of the most anticipated movies of this year, there has been some negative light on a certain scene in the one and only live action Beauty And The Beast. Though there are many moments in this movie that imply that our beloved Lefou, Gaston’s comrade is gay. This is not stated directly anywhere in the film, but there are a few instances that made the censorship board in many countries quite uneasy.
Censorship boards across the world have refused to release the movie with the gay scenes, demanding it be cut before a scheduled release.
Is he really gay?
Image
The first scene shows Lefou on horseback with his friend Gaston, and Lefou is heard trying to convince Gaston not to marry Belle, which to many people was a definite sign that something, in their eyes was “off”. The next scene that helped ignite this theory was when Gaston questioned him, asking why he hadn’t found himself a women yet, and Lefou responds saying he is too clingy- the public received this as Lefou covering up his sexuality.
What’s the big deal?
Image
The big moment, however, that has everybody talking, was- and you might want to take a seat, that Lefou (gasp) danced with another man. Now, there are people out there who are against this, which can and should be respected- however I do feel that these scenes are a big step in the right direction- Lefou is considered Disney’s first gay character, though he was not directly introduced to us as such. However, he was received this way by the general public.
Malaysia refuses to allow release of the movie
Image
There are many countries whose censorship boards indeed have reacted very strongly to these scenes. In fact, the release of Beauty And The Beast has been put on hold until March 30th in Malaysia, giving the censorship board some time to decide whether or not to release the film at all. The censorship board in Russia, on the other hand, has put a 16+ rating on this movie, simply because of this scene.
What should we be focusing on?
I strongly disagree with this. Malaysia’s situation regarding homosexuality has been very harsh- making homosexuality illegal as early as 1994, as well as punishment for such acts as cruel as 20+ years in prison. With that said, I feel that in such a day in age where technology and arts are so praised, all of the work falls hard, with people focusing on “the gay moment”. The fact that this moment has even been categorized is a shame.
People should be praising Emma Watson astounding acting, how the beast came to life on screen and so on. However, many people have spoken out, and there are many petitions going around in a number of countries, in an attempt to get the scene cut. Many people signing have been reported to be parents who say something along the line of “young children do not need to be traumatized by such a moment”.
Whether you personally agree with this or not, I feel everyone should make an effort to praise what really matters- the hard work and amazing effort that has been put into making a classic come to life, so we can once again enjoy “a tale as old as time.”
Hello,my name is Sarah. I am extremely passionate about writing and love to bring my ideas to life with vivid words and lively descriptions. hope you enjoy my posts as much as I enjoy creating them.
