今日吃瓜

Once again, censors in a number of countries in the Middle East 听are targeting a major motion picture based upon LGBTQIA+ 听content. 听

West Side Story, the new Steven Spielberg adaptation of the classic 听1957 Broadway musical, has run afoul of censors in a number of 听countries across the region due to the presence of a transgender 听character. 听

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and 听Bahrain, will now no longer screen the film. 听

The film was refused a release certificate in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while the other countries had asked for cuts to be made to the film, a request Disney refused to agree to. 听

Anybodys Looks For Acceptance

The countries have taken offence to the character of Anybodys, a 听transgender character, played by Broadway actor Iris Menas 听(Jagged Little Pill), who identifies as non-binary.听

In promotional interviews Menas refers to Anybodys using “he/him” 听and “they/them” pronouns.听

“He’s kind of been disowned by his family 鈥� and is following the 听Jets closely. We see this kind of lost soul hoping to join this gang of 听brother, not only to be accepted into a family 鈥� but to be accepted 听for who they are as a person and accepted in their own skin.”听

West Side Story casting director Cindy Toland, in the film鈥檚 听production notes said, “We had a lot of conversations about it and 听decided [Anybodys] could be played best by a trans person.鈥� 听

‘I Ain’t No Goddamn Girl!’

David Saint, the executor of the estate of Arthur Laurents, in the 听film鈥檚 production notes, said, 鈥淎rthur was ahead of his time with this. 听He said, ‘Anybodys is a character who was a man born in a听female鈥檚 body.’ End of story. If it were today, he would be a 听迟谤补苍蝉驳别苍诲别谤.鈥�听

In the early stages of production on the original stage musical,听Anybodys sang a song where they sing, 鈥淲hy can’t I be male? / 听Why can’t I be big, tall, male /Like everyone else?鈥� The song was later cut prior to the show making its premiere. 听

Anybodys historically has been depicted as a 鈥渟crappy鈥� tomboy with 听鈥渆nergy and heart鈥� who follows the Jets around and is desperate to 听join the gang. Anybodys is rejected by the Jets until the end when they are听allowed to join because of their unwavering allegiance. 听

In the film, Anybodys is central to a scene in a police station where 听the Jets have been brought. The Jets call Anybodys a 鈥渄ickless 听wonder” and say, “The girl wants to be a Jet.” Anybodys replies, “I 听ain’t no goddamn girl!” 听

Eventually the Jets accept Anybodys as one of their own. Ice听tells Anybodys they are now a Jet, “Ya done good, Buddy 听boy,鈥� to which Anybodys replies “Thanks, Daddy-O”. 听

Original Script Was Problematic

The Guardian鈥檚 Peter Bradshaw called the new film adaptation 鈥渁 vividly dreamed, 听cunningly modified and visually staggering revival,” while A.O. Scott 听in The New York Times says, 鈥渋t’s a dazzling display of filmmaking 听craft that also feels raw, unsettled and alive.鈥�

Screenwriter Tony Kushner, who penned Angels in America, has updated the original book by Arthur Laurents, to reflect twenty-first听century sensibilities. The film has cast Latinix actors for the Puerto 听Rican characters, several of the show鈥檚 main roles were expanded 听and no subtitles are used when characters speak in Spanish. 听

The original script has been widely seen as 鈥榩roblematic鈥� due to its 听stereotypical depictions of Latinix characters. Stephen Sondheim 听who wrote the lyrics to the musical, was himself highly critical of his 听work on West Side Story.

Studios Stand Up To Censorship听

Countries across the Middle East have strong laws against 听indecency, and regularly censor films of swearing, nudity and 听depictions of drug use as well as homosexuality.

Recently the Eternals, from Marvel Studios was banned in Saudi 听Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait due to a same-sex kiss 听between Phastos, played by Brian Tyree Henry and his husband 听Ben, played by out actor Haaz Sleiman. 听

The film did screen in听United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, State of Palestine and 听Syria, however all scenes of intimacy, both heterosexual and 听homosexual had been removed in a cut of the film which was made 听as a standardised version for the region. 听

Disney, who also distributed the Eternals, refused to make specific 听cuts as demanded by censors. The relationship between the two 听men was still evident in the version released in the region. 听

Pixar鈥檚 animated film Onward, which was the first Disney film to 听feature an openly LGBTQIA+ character, was also banned in Saudi 听Arabia and Qatar because of a reference to a lesbian relationship.听

Disney has refused to cut any of the queer content in its films in the 听last few years. The studio鈥檚 2017 blockbuster Beauty and the Beast made headlines when Disney refused to cut the film for Malaysian censors. 听

It is unclear if West Side Story will be released in China, which has 听a long track record of censoring LGBTQI content. Disney hasn鈥檛 听released any films in the country in the past year, including its 听Marvel Studios content.听

West Side Story, starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, is 听scheduled to open in Australian cinemas on 听December 26, 2021. The film 听has already generated stellar reviews and significant awards buzz.听