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Baymax! Reminds Viewers That Trans People Can Get Their Period, Too
Trans representation and menstruation destigmatization in the same scene? We see you, Disney.
Editor’s note: this article contains spoilers for episode three of Baymax! on Disney+.
Hey, some trans and non-binary people can get a period, too!
Disney+’s Baymax! features a subtle – but nonetheless important – scene where an animated trans person recommended a period product to the titular character.
During the episode, Baymax sets out to help Sofia as she deals with getting her first period as a teenager. Not knowing what to do, she relies on Baymax’s assistance to find her menstrual products.
Baymax goes to the grocery store and, overwhelmed by the options, asks a customer if she has any recommendations. “These are the tampons I usually use,” the woman responds. Another woman chimes in, “I prefer pads, they’re more comfortable for me.”
It is then that a third character then enters the scene – a seemingly gender-nonconforming animated character in a t-shirt branded with the trans flag. “I always get the ones with wings,” they excitedly tell Baymax.
While the scene is subtle in its trans inclusion that hasn't stopped the conservative outrage online.
\u201cI know it\u2019s got the haters frothing but I can\u2019t help feeling that a world where children learn about periods, including that trans men have periods, at an early age unproblematically is the kind of world I want to live in. \n\ud83d\udc9c #Baymax \nhttps://t.co/8lZPr9hlG9\u201d— Matthew Hodson (@Matthew Hodson) 1656585255
Trans folks however are praising the scene as a very rare example of representation for menstruating trans people.
\u201cThe trans community is now ride or die for Baymax, our inflatable ally.\u201d— Jodie Troutman (@Jodie Troutman) 1656475983
In the past, Disney has faced criticism for featuring these blink-and-you-miss-it LGBTQ+ moments in its films and TV shows. With that said, it’s still very cool that this scene about Baymax shopping for period products included a trans person, serving as a reminder that some trans people do menstruate while also showing young viewers that this is a completely natural thing.
Baymax! is now streaming on Disney+.
Bernardo Sim is a writer, editor, and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Bernardo Sim is a writer, editor, and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
