Featured Image Credit: Disney
Topics: Disney, TV And Film, LGBTQ,
Kya Buller
In the run up to the release of the much anticipated Moana 2 in UK cinemas tomorrow (29 November), a hoax regarding the storyline has been doing the rounds on social media.
The first film in the franchise, Moana, was released in 2016 and went on to be a huge hit, dominating the box office and resulting in innumerable die-hard fans across the world.
Industry veterans including Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jemaine Clement and Nicole Scherzinger were among those cast for voiceovers.
A deeply emotional musical fantasy film, Moana was set on the Polynesian island of Motunui, and detailed the adventure of inhabitants of the island with one common thread - their devotion to worshipping the goddess of nature, Te Fiti.
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Balance and order are lost when Maui, the shape-shifting demigod of the wind and sea and master of wayfinding, takes Te Fiti's heart to bestow the power of creation upon humanity.
The hugely anticipated Moana 2 is set place three years after those events, and audiences are invited to watch a now-older and very well-respected Moana travelling around new islands, hoping to discover people who are connected to the ocean.
While the film is a huge hit with kids and families, regular adults love the fearless character of Moana too - and have been counting down the days until they can watch the sequel.
Ahead of its release, one person wrote on Twitter: "Gotta take my girls to see this, MOANA had us in a chokehold tbh."
But the fanfare and excitement risked being overshadowed by an immature hoax spread across social media, attracting the attention of transphobic people.
A 'report' published by Mouse Trap News, a satirical website that posts fake Disney news, claimed that the character of Moana was presented as transgender in the second film. As they put it, she was to be 'the first transgender princess.'
The false report claimed Moana was written to discover 'his new male identity with his family and friends on the island' around the halfway mark of the film, becoming known as Kai.
It was written that previously transphobic attitudes within the film would be resolved, leading everybody to 'fully embrace' Kai.
All of the above is a complete fabrication, and reached viral status when Mouse Trap News posted a video of the 'news' to Instagram, appearing to show the character of Kai.
As a caption, they wrote: "What do you think of this controversial move by Disney?", which was essentially a call to action for transphobes.
One person wrote: "Bro, are you serious? I hate Disney so much."
A second said: "This is a cartoon NOT REAL. Leave our children’s mind alone."
A third added: "Boycott this movie!! Walt is turning in his grave."
Alternatively, somebody offered the comment: "It’s sad to see how many people are upset with the idea of this…"