Last Thursday, Disney joined the ranks of uber-corporations who recognize the turning sociopolitical tide by announcing that their first openly queer character would appear in an upcoming animated film, Shitstain Fuckstick. This announcement described how although this character—a cockroach named “Deviant Danny”—would only appear in the first three seconds of the movie, he would be pivotal to its emotional arc as he perished beneath the feces-caked heel of the titular protagonist Shitstain.
LGBTQ advocates applauded this news, many declaring their intention to support Shitstain’s release in September by purchasing official merchandise or drawing fanart of Danny being crushed into a messy pulp. Others are excitedly discussing which pair of binoculars is best to bring to the showing in theaters in order to best see the tiny Pride flag stamped onto The Deviant’s carapace in the half-second between its reveal and Danny’s demise.
The few detractors who questioned if Danny could not have been given a more prominent role or if his brutal death was supposed to reflect Disney’s impression of queer people were met with derision by the greater majority, who celebrated their hard-won mainstream representation.
“This is what we’ve been fighting for!
” said queer activist Amira Laing.
“Finally, someone who can show the world that we exist, and that we can all be accurately depicted by a horrible, filthy pest. Danny is all of us.”
At press time, Disney rivals CBS and Sony were scrambling to craft their own socially-savvy somebodies, with possibilities like a bisexual tree or a lesbian cop.
