
With Donald Trump’s stunning return to the White House, his administration has already outlined a bold new approach to gender, diversity, and inclusion. His executive orders—set to take effect imminently—assert that the United States will officially recognize only two sexes: male and female. These sweeping moves not only promise to alter the way federal policies approach gender but also threaten to reshape the business landscape for major corporations, including Disney, which has long prided itself on its inclusivity and diverse representation in its media content.

The New Executive Orders: Defining Gender, Dismantling DEI
Trump’s first executive order on gender policy is a direct challenge to the growing recognition of non-binary and transgender identities. The order, which mandates that only male and female be recognized as sexes under U.S. federal policy, will impact various aspects of government operations. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security will now be required to ensure that official documents, such as passports and visas, reflect this binary understanding of sex. Furthermore, taxpayer-funded gender-transition healthcare will be eliminated, and protections for women’s privacy in sensitive spaces like prisons and shelters will be reinforced, excluding transgender and non-binary individuals from these areas.
Alongside the gender order, Trump is pushing for the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within federal agencies. The executive orders will halt any initiatives that favor racial, gender, or sexual identity-based preferences, which Trump’s administration views as divisive and discriminatory. A closer look at these policies shows an attempt to roll back the clock on progressive advancements in gender and racial equity—an effort that has already faced sharp criticism from civil rights organizations and activists.
What Does This Mean for Disney?
Disney has long stood as a champion of inclusivity in entertainment, embracing diverse storylines and characters that reflect a broad spectrum of identities. With a global audience, Disney has increasingly incorporated LGBTQ+ characters and storylines into its movies and television programs, from Pixar’s first non-binary character in Elemental to the transgender character advising Baymax on menstrual products. These efforts are in line with the company’s broader mission to ensure that its content reflects modern societal values.
Yet, the changing political winds under Trump’s leadership present a real challenge for Disney’s progressive content. The imposition of a strict male/female gender binary, combined with the dismantling of DEI programs, creates a complicated situation for a company committed to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and gender inclusivity. If Trump’s policies take full effect, Disney may be forced to rethink its commitment to diverse representation in favor of aligning with the new federal directives. This could mean scaling back or even eliminating certain characters, plotlines, and creative decisions that do not fit within the confines of the binary gender framework.
For example, Disney’s recent introduction of Star, a non-binary character in Wish, or Lake, the non-binary character voiced by Kai Ava Hauser in Elemental, could face significant pushback under these new policies. While these characters have been praised for their inclusivity, they could be seen as incompatible with Trump’s vision of a gender-binary society. Disney may find itself under intense pressure to adhere to federal regulations or risk alienating audiences in certain markets that are already resistant to what they view as “woke” content.
A Long History of Tension: Disney and Trump
The battle between Disney and Trump has not been confined to policy alone. The two have clashed on multiple occasions in the past, with Disney’s progressive stances often finding themselves at odds with Trump’s conservative agenda. One of the most notable instances occurred earlier this year when Disney’s ABC News reached a $15 million settlement with Trump over a defamation lawsuit. The lawsuit stemmed from comments made by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos regarding Trump’s legal troubles, including the sexual abuse case involving E. Jean Carroll. Trump’s legal victory was not only a blow to Disney’s media arm but also a sign of the growing political tension between the entertainment giant and the former president.
On top of this legal setback, Disney’s ongoing struggles with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education Act—widely viewed as anti-LGBTQ+—have put the company in the crosshairs of conservative politics. After Disney publicly opposed the bill, DeSantis retaliated by stripping the company of its special governing privileges in the state. While the two parties have settled for the time being, it’s clear that Disney’s progressive values continue to make it a target for political figures looking to push back against “wokeness” in the corporate world.
The Cultural and Corporate Ramifications of Trump’s Policies
The Trump administration’s approach to gender and diversity could have far-reaching consequences for businesses, especially those that depend on inclusive content to reach a wide and varied global audience. Disney, in particular, will face a difficult choice: align with the federal government’s policies and risk alienating its progressive fans or stand firm on its inclusivity agenda and possibly face legal and economic backlash. Trump’s policies are already influencing other major corporations, such as Meta and Walmart, which have scaled back their diversity efforts in response to political pressures. Disney may find itself following suit, not just in terms of content but also in terms of its public-facing corporate values.
As global audiences become increasingly diverse and vocal about their desire for inclusive media, Disney’s position as a leader in this area may be tested. In fact, the company has already made concessions in response to changing political climates. At the end of 2024, Disney announced that it would be scrapping a transgender storyline in its upcoming animated series Win or Lose—a move widely interpreted as an attempt to avoid controversy in the wake of political pushback. Such decisions are indicative of the delicate balance Disney must now strike between maintaining its progressive identity and navigating the shifting political tides under Trump’s administration.
The Bigger Picture: America’s Culture Wars and the Future of Hollywood
As Trump’s executive orders set the stage for a major culture war across the nation, the entertainment industry finds itself caught in the crossfire. The ongoing tension between progressive corporate values and conservative political agendas is unlikely to subside anytime soon. Hollywood studios, including Disney, will have to contend with an increasingly polarized political environment that demands they choose sides. Will they stand firm in their commitment to diversity, or will they buckle under the weight of growing political and social pressures?
For Disney, the stakes have never been higher. The company’s approach to storytelling in the years to come will likely be influenced by the outcome of these cultural battles. Whether Disney will continue to push boundaries in terms of representation or scale back its inclusive narratives to align with Trump’s policies remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the political landscape under Trump’s leadership will shape the future of entertainment for years to come.
Unbelievable but not unexpected. Not even 24hrs in office and he starts (continues) his bullying. Leaders do not or SHOULD NOT make decisions because people are different. But they say a bully acts the way they do because they are VERY insecure!
There have been and are only 2 sexes. Male or Female. Yes, there are same sex couples, but they were still born either male or female. By changing the law back to common sense, we can go back to protecting women from males in there locker rooms, shelters and even prisons. It makes more sense to have 3 separate areas, male, female and other. Being a female that has been attacked more than once, we need our protections. Hooray for Trump and common sense.
AGREE!
I was unaware that the Disney company was a federal agency. The new (disgusting) laws only apply to federal agencies. Disney is a private company, and is free to set up their business the way they wish and recognize the individuality of their employees as they wish.
This is going to be a long four years, pushing back against a wall of hate and anger.
Basic biology does not include hate and anger, its DNA. I agree that people have the right to call themselves whatever they want and change that based on how they fell at different times in their lives, but expecting the whole world to keep up with and agree and like to whatever word you choose to call yourself or what pronoun you demand to be called gets everyone frustrated. Personally I do not feel anger if someone wants to change anything about themselves, but the basic biology and XX or XY does not change. If that thinking causes others to hate me, then they are the ones with the hate and anger issues.
I agree 100%, I also feel, Disney was created for kids, not for adults trying to be what they are not and pushing it into movies, and the parks. They can be, dress as or be called whatever they feel, but keep to yourselves, out of kids arears, schools, movies, sports, lockers rooms, bathrooms, and specially not take awards, from woman, because a guy dress in womans clothes was involved. Be an actor, as a man or woman, God ONLY Created to genders, female & male.
Maybe the XX, XY doesn’t change but they can have a change happen to parts of them. If XX, XY stayed the same then there would not be any children born having Down Syndrome or any other medical condition that happens because a gene is broken or doesn’t connect. When a child says I don’t ‘feel’ like a boy/girl it’s their way of saying a gene isn’t right. So many parents are angry because they dont understand the difference between a gene mutation and genetics. It happens.
My point as well. The new (lousy, mean, hate-filled) laws only apply to federal agencies. Aside from laws regarding safety and building codes, the government (especially the federal government) has no say in the running of a private company. As it should be,
Thr DEI affects everyone.