Malaysia adamant on banning movies with LGBTQ+ content

The Malaysian government vows to ban more movies with LGBTQIA+ content after Thor: Love and Thunder and Lightyear caused a stir.

Declaring that it will curb gay culture in its country, Malaysian authorities are moving to ban more films in light of two summer Disney movies, Variety reported.

What has Malaysia so riled up? It comes from two seemingly tame family movies, at least by American standards, Thor: Love and Thunder and Lightyear. Both films featured prominent characters who happened to be homosexual. In Lightyear, the time-traveling Buzz Lightyear’s best friend, Alisha Hawthorne, is in a same-sex marriage. 

Meanwhile, Valkyrie and Korg apparently ruffled feathers of their own. The openly gay Valkyrie rules Asgard as their king, and she even finds time to do a little flirting in Omnipotence City. Korg reveals more about his race’s heritage, explaining that all members of his species are male. At the end of the movie, Korg found love with another Kronan, the mustached Dwayne, and they go to a volcano to create a rock baby. 

Malaysia was having none of it. Authorities there banned both Lightyear as well as Love and Thunder from theaters, and they plan to keep more movies with LGBTQIA+ characters out of its theaters. This was after Disney submitted the movies to the country’s Film Censorship Board, known as the LPF. When Disney refused the LPF’s requested film edits, they were subsequently banned from Malaysia.

The country has vowed to prevent future films with LGBTQIA+ topics and characters from reaching theaters. However, Disney movies still find their way to Malaysian audiences. While the government chooses what movies reach cinemas, they have no control over streaming services based abroad. Variety noted that Lightyear is available on Hotstar, Disney’s Malaysian streaming service, though it does have an 18+ age recommendation.