When Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon confirmed Josh Gad’s LeFou as Disney’s first openly gay character, some sort of backlash was inevitable. While same-sex marriage has been legal in all states since the United States Supreme Court’s landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015, our own very own Vice President has a long record of opposition to gay rights and many pockets of the country share his beliefs.
Case in point: on Thursday night, the Henagar Drive-In Theatre in northeast Alabama announced via its currently inaccessible Facebook page that it would not be showing the film because it features a gay character.
“We will not be showing Beauty and the Beast at the Henagar Drive-In when it comes out,” the theater posted. “When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine.”
“If we can not take our 11-year-old granddaughter and 8-year-old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it.”
Speaking to WHNT News 19, drive-in owner Carol Laney further explained the decision was not about “sending a message of hatred or bigotry” but rather adhering to their interpretation of Christian values.
If you say so, Carol, but it certainly sounds like you’re on the wrong side of history.
Read the full statement and find a screenshot of the post (via AL.com) below.
“As of December 16th the Henagar Drive-In is under new ownership. Movies scheduled prior to that date and four weeks after this date were not scheduled by the new owners. That being said…It is with great sorrow that I have to tell our customers that we will not be showing Beauty and the Beast at the Henagar Drive-In when it comes out. When companies continually force their views on us we need to take a stand. We all make choices and I am making mine. For those that do not know Beauty and the Beast is ‘premiering’ their first homosexual character. The producer also says at the end of the movie ‘there will be a surprise for same-sex couples.’ If we can not take our 11-year-old granddaughter and 8-year-old grandson to see a movie we have no business watching it. If I can’t sit through a movie with God or Jesus sitting by me then we have no business showing it. I know there will be some that do not agree with this decision. That’s fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality and foul language. Thank you for your support!”
