New Disney+ series for children ‘Win or Lose’ has an openly Christian character in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s a complete cause for celebration.

The magic of Disney? 

I’ve always loved Disney. I love the music, the predictability and the comfort of the familiar hero storyline. I marvel at the ability for its message to speak to 5-year-old me whilst still speaking to 45-year-old me, that’s meant that Disney has become a timeless classic in my life. There have however been some recent controversies, for example around Disney’s latest move to introduce characters who are gay (Strange World (2022) and Buzz Lightyear (2022)). This led some Christians to unsubscribe from Disney+. As a family we chose to keep our subscription. My children are now 21, 19 and 17, so Christian discussions around the cultural topics that Disney are highlighting are much easier. However, for many others, the way in which Disney portrayed gay characters accompanied by price hikes saw them choosing to cancel their subscriptions. 

Enter ‘Win or Lose’ 

Disney’s latest shorts series is called ‘Win or Lose.’ Set across eight episodes, the series follows a softball team ‘Pickles,’ in the week leading up to the championships. Each episode covers the same time period but focuses on a different character, whether it be a player, parent or referee. 

As a writer and lover of on-screen characters, and people in general, I was fascinated by the plot line and the way in which it demonstrates complex character development. My children thought that it was a little weird and didn’t really understand how this would appeal to the younger generation that it is intended for, though to be fair they are a lot older than the target audience. 

Controversies and discussion points 

The real media buzz around ‘Win or Lose’ has been about the characters. A spokesperson for Disney confirmed that one of the key characters, Kai, who was originally transgender, had references to their gender identity removed. The spokesperson said, “When it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.” The trans community feel that it is a great loss, and that Disney had an opportunity to explore winning or losing regardless of who we are or what we identify as. 

The media has also commented on the first openly Christian character portrayed by Disney since the Bridge to Terabithia in 2007. In the first episode of ‘Win or Lose’ the opening scene is of Laurie, the daughter of the coach, praying, “Dear Heavenly Father, please give me strength. I have faith, but sometimes the doubt creeps in.” The faith references continue during the episode with Laurie drawing a cross on the plate before she bats and praying in bed before she sleeps. Looks all good on the surface. Lots of people, even those who have no faith, would often pray in times of crisis.  

However, I feel that this is Disney’s nod to a very heavy political debate in a country where the the gay community and much of the Church stand at arm’s length, with the Trump cabinet looking on to see that everyone plays within the limits that they have been set. If you look carefully at the episode, there are hints that Laurie is struggling with her identity. Her Dad is distracted by the team and fails to see his daughter drowning in self-doubt (a blob of self-doubt visibly grows on her shoulder). Her mum is deeply affected by the divorce and not only fails to support her daughter in her softball pursuits but also dabbles in the occult (she is clearly shown to be reading tarot cards). There are then hints that Laurie struggles with her sexuality. In her opening prayer, Laurie prays “I promise that I’ll be good, and I won’t do that thing again. I’m not sure where you stand on it, but I won’t do it.” Although this doesn’t explicitly name it, there is a glimpse of a love attraction when Kai comes on to the pitch. 

So what can we do as Christian parents?

Model faith for your children 

Proverbs 22:6 says, “start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” This means modelling faith at home. Pray as a family. Read God’s word as a family. Intentionally spend time together growing as a family. Be interested in what your children are interested in. Invest in family with God as your firm foundation.

Be careful what you watch and what you read

Matthew 6:22 says “the eye is the lamp of your body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” This doesn’t mean that you have to watch Christian TV only, but it does mean that you don’t need to intentionally watch things that you know are going to fill your spirit with darkness. Cultural content is rife in children’s TV programmes as it was when I was younger (I shudder when I hear the lyrics of some of the pop songs we innocently sang when we were younger). The important job of a Christian parent is being able to unpack cultural content through a biblical lens. So, in the context of ‘Win or Lose’ I would talk about finding our identity in Christ as opposed to the world.

Pray for your children

The world seems a more complex place than it did even a decade ago. Due to the rise of smartphones and social media usage, our children have access to a wider and more grown-up world, faster than we had when we were their age. They are going to come up against lots of issues like identity, self-worth, relationships, pornography, peer pressure and more. The best weapon that we have to help them navigate life’s twists and turns is prayer. The engine room of our homes is not the kitchen, but we find it on our knees, earnestly praying for our children.

Know what the Bible says

In Laurie’s prayer to her Heavenly Father, she states “I promise I won’t do that thing again. I’m not sure where you stand on it but I won’t do it.” Whatever it is that Laurie is doubting, it’s clear that she doesn’t have a biblical answer to a cultural doubt. Whether it’s, self-loathing, exploration of sexuality, ‘borrowing’ from your mum’s purse or something else that may seem innocent, God’s word gives direction. Psalm 119:105 says “your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Let’s help light the path for our children by giving them the truth of God’s Word.