DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — After the Henagar Drive-In Theatre announced its decision not to screen the live-action remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast because it features a gay character, media outlets have come out swinging against the owner’s religious choice.
The decision to not show the film came out after the announcement from the movie’s director that there would be “a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.” Josh Gad’s character, Lefou, will be depicted as having romantic feelings for Gaston, the film’s main villain.
In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, the theater’s owners explained their decision not to screen the movie.
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 grand daughter 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!
Over the weekend, the decision not to screen the film launched the story into the national headlines, covered by the likes of CNN, NBC, and The New York Times.
In this weekend’s edition of NBC’s Saturday Night Live that already continued that narrative that Attorney General Jeff Sessions is racist, Michael Che described the theater’s decision as silly. “What Alabama bigot is watching a lady make out with a bigfoot and think, ‘You know what’s taking me out of this cartoon is that fruity-a** candle.’?” he said.
Vanity Fair threw in a subtle dig in their story, by contrastic the Henagar Drive-In’s actions with the “inclusivity, open-mindedness” pursued by Disney.
Even a simple film review for The Hollywood Reporter attacked people who might disagree with the movie. “Rabid red-state homophobes may be incandescent with fury to see how things end up for him [the gay character] in the finale,” it reads.
Contrary to the media depiction, the Carol Laney, owner of Henagar Drive-In, released a statement to Al.com stating she does not hate gay people. “We will be choosing movies that the entire family can watch. This by no means is sending a message of hatred or bigotry; however, we are Christians first and foremost and must adhere to the Bible and its teachings,” she told Al.com. “Even though we do not condone the decision of the producers in Beauty and the Beast does not mean that we hate anyone.”
