Cinemas in the United Arab Emirates are banning Walt Disney Pixar’s animated movie titled ‘Lightyear’.
According to local media reports, the famous feature film had been banned from screening in movie houses because it is known to feature some characters that belong to the same-gender relationship.
For that reason, the film will reportedly be barred from screening in the entire country and will not be eligible of gaining any form of license in this regard, confirmed a spokesperson for the country’s Ministery of Youth and Culture recently.
The statement came as a huge shock for so many people in the country and many fans expressed their heartbreak at the news.
But others felt the decision was being taken in the country’s best interest as the topic was a rather controversial one and the country is known for its stringent policies and protocols that go against such modern ideologies of today’s world.
Meanwhile, the executive director for the country’s media regulatory office stated to Reuters how the movie had been banned because it included homosexual characters and some scenes that didn’t go in line with the country’s rules.
For now, there have been no remarks from any representative of Disney on the highly controversial manner. There are plenty of questions about the ban which did receive plenty of praise from quite a few social media users.
It was not uncommon for people to appreciate the move but then again, some felt it was high time that the nation broadened its horizons and accepted things that have slowly but surely become a norm in today’s world.
But most importantly, we can’t forget how same-sex partnerships are barred in various Muslim nations like the UAE, going as far as calling it out as an offense or a crime that requires a specific set of punishments.