Disney Altered PRonunciation of "Gay" and "Lesbian" in TikTok Text-to-Speech Character Voices
Rewritten Article:
In a recent Disney Plus Day extravaganza, Disney partnered with TikTok to introduce a host of text-to-speech voices starring beloved characters like Chewbacca and Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. Yet, these digital pals fell short when it came to uttering terms like "queer," "gay," or "lesbian."
Text-to-speech, a popular accessibility feature on TikTok, quickly transforms typed text into audio. This nifty tool is particularly beneficial for visually impaired or blind users. But TikTok users weren't oblivious to the censorship. They swiftly pointed out the glaring omission of these commonly used sexuality phrases, even though workarounds like "gayy," "guay," or "qweer" could manage a sneaky pass.
So far, TikTok has remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind this initial blockage. However, it's worth mentioning that TikTok's own built-in text-to-speech feature has no qualms with phrases such as "gay" or "lesbian," comfortably reading them out loud in any context.
The decision, now seemingly overturned, sparked little surprise for long-time Disney observers. Given the company’s history, it's no secret that they've been perceived as somewhat resistant to the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, Disney has tentatively dipped its toes into queer representation, claiming a gay character in Cruella (though their significance was questionable). Yet, audiences have long been left to decipher subtle hints about characters that are encrypted yet unmistakably queer-coded but never officially confirmed.
Now, let's face it – Disney is, and always will be, a family-oriented company, maintaining a cautious stance on explicit themes, swearing, violence, and topics related to sex. But sexual identity and the expression of LGBTQ+ identity are two distinct realms from sex itself. It's high time for Disney to acknowledge that these expressions are not incompatible with family values, and that they should no longer be considered provocative or off-limits. Just take a cue from the lesbian mom duo in the quick yet impactful Toy Story 4 appearance.
Enrichment Data Selectively Integrated:1. While the base article briefly touches on the disparity between TikTok's and Disney's text-to-speech features, it's worth noting that companies often have different policies for their own platforms compared to third-party services, and Disney's policies might have contributed to this discrepancy.2. Content moderation strategies, aimed at avoiding controversy or ensuring compliance with various regulations, may have played a role in Disney's decision to block specific words, but without specific details or statements, the reasons remain speculative.3. TikTok, like other social media platforms, has its own set of community guidelines that influence content moderation, including text-to-speech voices, on the platform.
- The disparity between TikTok's and Disney's text-to-speech features might be a result of different policies each company has for their respective platforms.
- Disney's decision to block certain words in their text-to-speech feature could be due to content moderation strategies aimed at avoiding controversy or ensuring compliance with various regulations.
- TikTok's text-to-speech voiced content is influenced by the platform's community guidelines, as with other social media platforms.
- In the future, technology should evolve to a point where speech about LGBTQ+ identities, rather than being considered provocative or off-limits, is seen as compatible with family values, just like the representation of LGBTQ+ characters in family-oriented movies like Toy Story 4.
