Stephanie Beatriz Slams Anti-LGBTQ Legislation at Outfest Fusion Gala: ‘How Can I Not Speak Up?’

variety.com:

Sasha Urban editorStephanie Beatriz lit up the Oscars stage last month, performing a rendition of the hit song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” with her fellow voice cast members of Disney’s “Encanto.” But Disney itself is currently at the center of a different free speech issue, as the company feuds with Florida government officials over its opposition to the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill.Speaking to Variety at the 2022 Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival Gala at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center on Friday, Beatriz said the current wave of anti-gay and anti-trans legislation, which has recently taken hold in Alabama, “keeps me up at night.” Although Disney is currently facing backlash from both ends of the political spectrum, she’s thankful for the positive representation she’s taken part in through the animated movie. “I understand that many people have issues with Disney, as well they should,” Beatriz said. “But one of the things that I’m really proud of is that Walt Disney Animation set this film in Colombia, with a family that was all Colombians and Latinos, and all different races, because it’s really big to show children all over the world that Latinos don’t only look one way, they look all sorts of ways.”Beatriz, who is openly bisexual, was honored by Outfest with its Fusion Achievement award for her contributions to LGBTQ representation in media.

Outfest executive director Damien S. Navarro echoed Beatriz’s sentiments about the political landscape, telling Variety that it’s up to his and other organizations to influence progress.“We already know that by watching each other’s stories in film, in this particular case, that empathy does build,” Navarro said.