Frozen 3 Is Disney's Perfect Chance to Introduce a Gay Princess
by Renaldo MatadeenWARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Frozen 2, in theaters now.
In the wake of Frozen, there was a huge online push to #GiveElsaAGirlfriend in a potential sequel, as many fans interpreted Elsa as a gay character. However, this hasn't panned out as the sequel hasn't given her a love interest; instead opting to focus on her journey of self-discovery and keeping the romantic tones for Anna and Kristoff.
But while a third movie isn't in the works just yet, once it does happen, it would be the perfect opportunity for Disney to break the mold and make a big step forward in terms of inclusivity and diversity by introducing Elsa as a gay princess.
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It's a refreshing breath of air to see a Disney princess who doesn't need a man to save her or support her; one who has full agency. Elsa's a strong woman, proven by her becoming a queen of the Enchanted Forest by the end of this film, making the sequel an even bigger feminist statement than its predecessor. There's nothing about her that screams damsel in distress, transcending the days of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and so on. So, wouldn't it be amazing for this pop culture icon to now become a fully-fledged gay icon?
This would speak volumes to young kids, especially girls, towards building education and awareness over LGBTQ issues. It'd also help those struggling with their identities to realize they have allies and that what they're going through is normal. In other words, Elsa would become could become an ambassador for the LGBTQ community in a time where we don't have many central figures in cinema who identify that way. It's still niche and kept for supporting characters mostly, so for Disney to adopt this approach, it would indeed show how progressive the company is.
The threequel is some ways away, so in terms of optics, when it does drop, it could be two to six years from now (six was the time gap from the 2013 movie, after all), so hopefully, by then the world might be an even more accepting place. It'd be more 'woke,' in that sense, so a gay Queen Elsa would fit right in. Considering there are many corners of the Internet (and even in the entertainment industry) where younger viewers could be miseducated on LGBTQ people, a gay Elsa -- if handled right -- would tastefully act as a positive statement for equality and social justice, and not, as some detractors might argue, a "corrupting" one.
The foundation's also already there. Elsa has no men in her life to fall in love and she's always been a rebel, constantly going against the grain. And who better to do this than Disney? This company can do no wrong in Hollywood, making billion-dollar films at every juncture. People thought a feminist Brie Larson would hurt Captain Marvel's box office and other bigots thought Black Panther would come off too preachy, yet they broke the bank. So, while there'd be trepidation that a gay Elsa could hurt Frozen's ticket sales, it's a misconception because the world wants to see more POC, more minorities and more gay representation.
By embarking on this, the company would be seeding threads and philosophies of acceptance from adolescence, and such kids could only grow up to be more loving, peaceful members of society. It's just all the more perfect that Elsa's actually the Fifth Elemental Spirit and the perfect avatar for Mother Nature. Seeing as she also has Honeymaren at her side, a brave, free-spirited and kind woman belonging to Elsa's mother's Northhuldra tribe, there's already an ideal soul mate there. They both had such powerful chemistry and the dynamic felt natural, even when they were subtly flirting with each other, culminating in Honeymaren holding her hand and telling her, "You belong out here." We could easily see this extending beyond the platonic realm as Honeymaren understands Elsa's mystical nature and believes in freedom.
All Disney has to do is be bold and chart new territory because this frontier of equality and love will only fortify its brand as open-minded, worldly and one that wants to shape a better, brighter future for us all.
Disney's Frozen 2 reunites directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck and producer Del Vecho with voice actors Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. Returning musical talents include Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
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