Conservative Parents Outraged After Disney+ Advertises “Sex” Show to Kids
Disney+ is under fire after advertising the new series Dying for Sex on its homepage. Some parents have canceled their streaming subscriptions, arguing that a family-friendly brand shouldn’t have promoted an adult series on its platform.
Dying for Sex premiered on April 4, 2025. It stars Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate as best friends who grapple with one’s terminal cancer diagnosis. The series is based on the true story of best friends Molly Kochan and Nikki Boyer, who made a Wondery podcast of the same name.
After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Kochan left a struggling marriage to explore her sexuality. The FX series is available with the Hulu Disney+ bundle, not to base subscribers.
The show has a TV-MA rating and isn’t recommended for young audiences. Disney+ allows parents to lock down kids’ profiles and set a pin for profiles that can watch adult content. Nevertheless, outrage ensued this week when popular conservative X (formerly Twitter) account @LibsofTikTok shared photos of Dying for Sex advertised on the Disney+ landing page, accusing The Walt Disney Company of promoting adult content to children:
Received from multiple sources. Disney is reportedly advertising a series called “Dying for Sex” on the front page of their streaming service. One source says their 6-year-old saw it and started asking about it. I thought this application was supposed to be “family friendly.” What’s going on @DisneyPlus?
Received from multiple sources. Disney is reportedly advertising a series called “Dying for Sex” on the front page of their streaming service. One source says their 6-year-old saw it and started asking about it.
I thought this application was supposed to be “family friendly.”… pic.twitter.com/zNAheAlU7w
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 7, 2025
@ArcherSys claimed their family canceled their Disney+ subscription after their eight-year-old saw the advertisement:
Was going to watch revenge of the sith…. My 8 year old saw this….. I’m cancelling my @DisneyPlus today. “family friendly” my ass….. I’m having to have a very uncomfortable discussion with my 8 year old son now…..
Was going to watch revenge of the sith…. My 8 year old saw this….. I’m cancelling my @DisneyPlus today. “family friendly” my ass….. I’m having to have a very uncomfortable discussion with my 8 year old son now….. pic.twitter.com/pi5DfFeKZo
— Archer Systems (@ArcherSys) April 7, 2025
“I can confirm,” @ItsAnAmishThing replied. “This is appalling. Kids were in the room, tried to scroll fast, but no doubt it was seen.”
I can confirm. This is appalling. Kids were in the room, tried to scroll fast, but no doubt it was seen.
— Aaron Yoder (@ItsAnAmishThing) April 7, 2025
Others, like @WaywardGreg, lashed out at the streaming service for advertising the series on social media under the “Disney” name:
“Dying for sex.” Disney really has changed over the years.
I just find it odd that a brand that was historically for children, is snatching up adult content.
I just find it odd that a brand that was historically for children, is snatching up adult content.
— 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐠 (@WaywardGreg) February 23, 2025
Still, just as many posts went viral slamming parents for not using available parental-control settings to screen content for their kids. From @DreamLeaf5:
Do they think Disney Plus is all children’s content? There’s literally parental controls
Do they think Disney Plus is all children’s content? There’s literally parental controls https://t.co/47lvIEkgA5
— DreamLeaf 🌱🌻 🍉 (@DreamLeaf5) April 9, 2025
@And2TheRepublik agreed:
Not defending Disney but the app content is based on the user profile you’re logged in with. So if they are on an adult profile, it will show adult content.
That said, Disney should know better.
However…
It’s not up to Disney to correctly set up parental controls. Disney has had mature content on the streaming service for long enough at this point for parents to know better.
Not defending Disney but the app content is based on the user profile you’re logged in with. So if they are on an adult profile, it will show adult content.
That said, Disney should know better.
However…
It’s not up to Disney to correctly set up parental controls. Disney…
— Adam_AI (@And2TheRepublik) April 7, 2025
“Sounds like the parents don’t pay attention and you’re putting the onus on an app to do it for you,” said @ThickyFontaine. “Stop making excuses for lazy parenting.”
Sounds like the parents don’t pay attention and you’re putting the onus on an app to do it for you. Stop making excuses for lazy parenting.
— “Thicky Ricky what dey called em!” (@ThickyFontaine) April 10, 2025
Should there be adult content on Disney+? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!
I am an adult and got Disney as most other channels are not what I want to see and now I have to deal with this on my Disney+ I can see it on Hulu but get a grip sounds like Disney is wanting to prep them for Tra@@icking.
OMG do these slacker parents who worry about everyone else’s business ever take responsibility for their own actions?
Parental controls are there. Use them. Your kid sees a questionable (in your eyes) ad? TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT! How quaint; going through a learning experience with your kid. Wow!
Holy mind your own business.
Why don’t disney show porn and tell the Parents to deal with it, even tho Disney+ is a Family show plate form. Disney only want to do is make money on Disney+ to show it stock’s holder it’s making money. SinceDisney lost alot of $$$$$ on its last BIG movie.
It’s on HULU, not Disney+ and there are smutty ads everywhere.
Go calm down until the next silly thing comes along to get your brain in a tailspin.
My 8 year old granddaughter was over and she asked about it. I casually told her that our subscription was adult and hers at home was the kid version and that the content was the same way. I told her that show was something she might watch when she’s older. Her reply was “Okay, let’s watch Attack of the Clones” It was as easy as that.
If “conservative” parents are the only ones that have a problem with this – a family streaming service promoting sexual content on their service – then I have to wonder what the h*ll is wrong with “liberal” parents.
It’s marketed as an adult “mature” audience program. Parents can’t take responsibility for programming their channels so young children are blocked from mature programming? How many have Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple… don’t they control those services. What really made me laugh was the man with an 8 year old preparing to watch Revenge of the Sith worrying about the promo. An EIGHT YEAR OLD watching the Revenge of the Sith. (My son, a HUGE Star Wars fan, didn’t see that movie until he was 12, close to 13.) You will allow your child to watch probably the most violent movie of the Star Wars franchise, save Rogue One. An 8 year watching as Anakin slays the Jedi younglings? An 8 year old watch the murder of Mace Windu by Emperor Palpatine’s electric blast? Anakin violently choking the VERY PREGNANT Padme and for all he knew… he choked her to death. An 8 year old watching the violent battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan… WHERE Anakin has his limbs basically BURNED OFF in volcano lava. You can’t unsee Anakin’s red flaming eyes. Then an 8 year old sees the worst of finding out Padme survived, only to die before your eyes during childbirth. This man is worried about an advertised mature audience ad, while his 8 year old watched a mature audience movie. These folks are ridiculous in this complaint. When I was young, my parents controlled what my sibling and I could see until we were old enough. Take responsibility, Mom and Dad.