Say It With PRIDE: Disney+ Celebrate Pride 365 Variety Show | Disney+

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[SLOW PIANO MUSIC]
[CHIMES TINKLING]
[MUSIC - ANGELICA ROSS AND THE TRANS CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES,
"A MILLION DREAMS"]
(SINGING) I close my eyes and I can see the world
is waiting up for me that I call my own.
Through the dark, through the door,
through where no one's been before, but it feels like home.
They can say, they can say it all sounds (ALL) crazy.
They could say, they could say I've lost my mind.
I don't care, I don't care, so call me (ALL) crazy.
We can live in a world that we designed.
'Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors
fill my head.
A million dreams are keeping me awake.
I think of what the world could be, the vision of the one I
see.
A million dreams is all it's gonna take.
Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make.
Ooh-wah, ooh-wah.
And there's a house we can build.
Every room inside is filled with things from far away.
These special things we compile, each one there to make you
smile on a rainy day.
They could say, they could say we all sound (ALL) crazy.
They could say, they could say we've lost our minds.
(ALL) I don't care, I don't care, let them call us crazy.
Runaway to a world that we design.
Ooh.
(ALL) 'Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors
fill my head.
A million dreams are keeping me awake.
I think of what the world could be, the vision of the one I
see.
A million dreams is all it's gonna take.
Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make.
However big, however small, just let me be part of it all.
(ALL) Share your dreams with me.
You may be right, you may be wrong.
Just say that you'll bring me along to the world you see.
(ALL) To the world I close my eyes to see.
(ALL) I close my eyes to see.
[VOCALIZING]
(ALL) 'Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors
fill my head.
A million dreams are keeping me awake.
A million dreams.
A million dreams.
I think of what the world would be, a vision of the one I see.
A million dreams is all it's gonna take.
Oh, a million dreams for the world we're gonna make.
For the world we're gonna make.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
Thank you for listening to our voices.
I'm Angelica Ross, actress, recording artist, and
proud Black trans game-changer.
I am a brother.
I am a sister.
I am beautiful.
I am a best friend.
I am a dreamer.
I am strong.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
ALL: And we are members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
To celebrate Pride, we here at Disney+ want to honor
the LGBTQIA+ figures of the past,
recognize trailblazers of the present, and discuss
their impact on our community.
Unfortunately, LGBTQIA+ folks have
been forced to fight for basic rights over and over again.
Of course, we hope that one day this
will no longer be necessary.
Until that time, the value and defense
of our right to live and love how we want
in the face of continuous obstacles
are part of what make us so strong,
and make me so proud to be a part of this community.
TERRY HU: There have been an intense
wave of anti-LGBT+ legislation.
It's shocking to me that that's happening, but also not shocking,
because historically, people do spend so much time and energy
trying to just diminish people who are trying to live
their best versions of themselves,
and it really breaks my heart.
It's causing a lot of mental health
distress, and people not being able to live
their lives authentically.
It's so important to stay strong,
as a community, to overcome this obstacle
and other obstacles that may come down the road.
We are so much more than our bodies.
We are so much more than the people that we love.
But all of those things are worth honoring, celebrating,
and making space for.
You want young people to find themselves
fully, without barriers or without limitations
on their expression.
Now, I'm starting to see Gen Z really advocating for LGBTQIA+
rights, and it's our right as humans
to feel safe, and be loved and accepted and supported.
Hopefully, children won't carry shame with them for who
they are, very much like I did, and so many other people
did, and still do.
Pride started as a protest, and
so there's always been an element of resistance
and of resilience.
We create community where we can
also have joy with each other, have
celebration with each other.
All of it is as rebellious and as necessary as the protest.
Pride is really about living authentically in your skin,
and being bold enough to not only say who you are
but to also provide the space for someone else to step up.
What I would love to see is that pride, and that joy,
and that strength for each other lasting 365
days out of the year in every intersection of our community.
[MUSIC - RUEBY WOOD, "SHOW YOURSELF"]
(SINGING) Every inch of me is trembling,
but not from the cold.
Something is familiar, like a dream
I can reach but not quite hold.
I can sense you there, like a friend I've always known.
I'm arriving, and it feels like I am home.
I have always been a fortress, cold secrets deep inside.
You have secrets too, but you don't have to hide.
Show yourself.
I'm dying to meet you.
Show yourself.
It's your turn.
Are you the one I've been looking for all of my life?
Show yourself.
I'm ready to learn.
[VOCALIZING]
I've never felt so certain.
All my life I've been torn.
But I'm here for a reason.
Could it be the reason I was born?
I have always been so different.
Normal rules did not apply.
Is this the day?
Are you the way I finally find out why?
Show yourself.
I'm no longer trembling.
Here I am, I've come so far.
You are the answer I've waited for all of my life.
Oh, show yourself.
Let me see who you are.
Come to me now.
Open your door.
Don't make me wait one moment more.
Oh, come to me now.
Open your door.
Don't make me wait one moment more.
Come, my darling, homeward bound.
I am found.
Show yourself.
Step into the power.
Grow yourself into something new.
You were the one you've been waiting for all of my life.
All of my life.
Oh, show yourself.
[VOCALIZING]
[VOCALIZING]
[VOCALIZING]
So much of the magic of Disney lives in its music.
For many of us, the songs in classic Disney animation films
made up the soundtrack of our childhood.
We danced, we laughed, and cried to its message of perseverance
and lyrics of love.
NINA WEST: This is Howard Ashman.
Howard was the lyricist and LGBTQIA+
pioneer behind some of Disney animation's most iconic songs.
His music defined an entire generation.
But Howard didn't only write songs for Sebastian,
Beast, and Genie.
He wrote this song, "Sheridan Square," about the AIDS crisis
that eventually took him from us far
too soon, and so many others, from our community.
On May 17, Howard Ashman's birthday,
we had the pleasure of speaking with another Disney
Legend, and longtime collaborator and friend
of Howard's, Alan Menken.
It's such a joy to be here in your home.
Thank you.
To share these stories, and to have space
to talk about these things that are
so important to our queer community
and to the history of Disney.
First of all, this particular song
was truly a song from the heart.
There was nothing more immediate,
intense, and important than when the AIDS crisis hit.
When we wrote this song, I think it's very possible
that Howard knew that he was HIV-positive
but was not telling anyone.
But it was everywhere, and it was a death sentence.
Mm-hmm.
ALAN MENKEN: Howard and I sat down and wrote this song, never
knowing that it would take on the importance
that it's taken on over the years.
That's incredible.
The song, "Sheridan Square," really
is about such a specific point in time
where men were celebrating this community center
for a lot of gay men in New York City,
and its disappearance of life and vitality.
Sheridan Square was almost kind of like the epicenter.
For me, it was a revelation to come and be a part of that.
And I had so many treasured, amazing collaborators
who were gay, and at that time, I lost all of them.
And the message that's uplifting to the LGBTQ community
is also the message that should be
uplifting to the entire world.
And Howard was just amazing at channeling
the human experience, both in a general term
but also in such specific terms.
And the specificity of his lyrics
brings the reality to a song that's also, at the same time,
universal and uplifting.
And this song is a treasure because it doesn't belong
to a fictional character.
Your work with Howard has become synonymous with
a lot of LGBTQIA+ people trying to figure
out their own journey.
As Howard called it, the "I Want" song.
"Part of Your World."
It's like almost a call of, can I also find my place?
Yeah.
You have given so many people, whether you
know it or not, I think, a lot of hope and a lot of life.
Thank you.
Like every song I wrote with Howard,
it's really precious to me.
It's just like, I can remember every moment of sitting with him
and having him put a new lyric in front of me.
It's an unbelievable treasure, so I'm really
glad to be able to share this song with the world
and have you sing it.
[MUSIC - ALAN MENKEN AND NINA WEST, "SHERIDAN SQUARE"]
(SINGING) With a corner to catch the subway,
and a corner to buy cigars.
And a corner to wait for the Times
to come out, and a corner to lean on cars.
It was something just left to the Mardi Gras
when my friends and their friends were there.
But it's getting much too quiet tonight on Sheridan Square.
I'm sure that it must mean something,
but it's really too soon to tell.
When somebody's getting famous while nobody's getting well.
And you can send my regrets to the party.
I'd like to make it but just don't dare.
And why is it still so quiet tonight on Sheridan Square?
Johnny and Steve and Martin, and the list that goes on too long.
Dennis and Bill and Barry, you're
the reason I sing this song.
Now, some of the boys have panicked, and none of the boys
leave town.
They say we're on the good ship Titanic.
We're gonna sing till the boat goes down.
And if it ended before it started--
well, no one told us that life is fair.
And why is it still so quiet tonight on Sheridan Square?
Somebody make a note of this, you people who note the trends.
The wild ones are turning lovers, while lovers
are turning friends.
And if some good rises out of everything,
and the phoenix is rising there, in the eyes
that are scared but softer tonight on Sheridan Square.
Johnny and Steven and Martin, and the list that
goes on too long.
Dennis and Bill and Barry, you're
the reason I sing this song.
When you carry a load like we do,
what's a few more pounds to share?
We can make it until the sun comes up, and it will,
over Sheridan Square.
I identify as bisexual.
I identify as gay.
I am queer, and I am nonbinary.
I am gender-free.
Nonbinary, to me, tells people what
I'm not, but gender-free tells myself
and other people what I am.
I didn't know how to identify until seventh grade.
I remember, actually, exactly where I was sitting.
I was like-- [GASPS] there are more people out there like me.
Sometimes we don't know what we resonate with until we see it
or learn about it.
There's probably a lot of ace people
who don't realize that they're ace.
They just haven't heard of the term.
I came to identify as ace in my 30s,
and I wish I would have come to identify as that earlier.
Looking back at my childhood, I'm like, I was always queer.
I just didn't know what it was because there was
no education surrounding those topics,
and there was nobody like me on TV.
I grew up in a deeply religious household.
At the time in which I started coming to understand who I was
and how I identified, it wasn't a safe environment.
I learned very quickly that I had
to hide myself, or hide a part of myself, in order to survive.
At what point do you say, this is what I love.
This is who I am.
Deal with it.
Hiding is what creates a sense that there's something wrong,
and there's nothing wrong with who we are.
It doesn't matter who we're married to or who we've dated
or whatever.
Our identity is valid.
[MUSIC - JESSICA DARROW, "NOBODY LIKE U"]
(SINGING) I've never met nobody like you.
Had friends and I've had buddies, it's true.
But they don't turn my tummy the way you do.
I've never met nobody like you.
[VOCALIZING]
You're never not on my mind, oh my, oh my.
I'm never not by your side, your side, your side.
I'm never gonna let you cry, oh cry, don't cry.
I'll never not be your ride or die, all right.
Let's call it what it is.
It's a masterpiece.
Got a whole lot of love for them city streets.
Glendale!
Tonight is the place to be.
Got a big boom box and a new CD.
Come on, everybody, let's tear it up.
If you want mad skills, you could share with us.
I want everybody to stop and stare, and you know why.
It's me, Robaire.
Woo!
Uh-huh.
It's too good.
Yeah.
Come on.
Let's go.
You're never not on my mind, oh my, oh my.
I'm never not by your side, your side, your side.
I'm never gonna let you cry, oh cry, don't cry.
I'll never not be your ride or die, all right.
¡Así!
Like you.
Like you.
Like you.
Like you.
You're never not on my mind, oh my, oh my.
I'm never not by your side, your side, your side.
I'm never gonna let you cry, oh cry, don't cry.
I'll never not be your ride or die, all right.
Visibility and representation of the LGBTQIA+
community is at an all-time high, but we
still have a long way to go.
It's incredible that we continue to see out-and-proud characters
and talent on our screens and in our favorite stories,
but there are still areas where our gayness,
transness, and queerness, in any form,
is not as widely accepted.
Representation in the LGBTQIA+ community has improved only
because we have chosen to stand up and take
charge of our own narratives.
You can't deny the difference it makes when the people who
are the subject of the story are centered
in the making of the story.
It's imperative that we show the world
our joy, our struggles, our growth, our journeys.
We are a part of the fiber of society.
Everyone in this world needs to feel like they have a place
and they belong, and a big part of that
is being represented in the media that they see.
Growing up, I really never got to see someone that looked
like me on television or in media often,
and so I had to pick and choose people and mesh them
together to create what you see now.
And I think that's unfair when we live in a life
that cis people could see themselves
on television all the time.
By seeing ourselves reflected in the content that we consume,
we can normalize ourselves, and normalize ourselves
in the eyes of other people who might
not have experience with members of the LGBTQ community.
I love to play people from different walks
of life, which can exist as someone
who is queer at the same time.
You can be from anywhere and be any kind of way.
We've made leaps and bounds as of recent years, for sure.
It's not there, just yet, but Disney Pixar put out
a short called "Out," and it was so powerful to see a gay couple
in an animated short.
What I would love to see more of
is the intersectionality between people of color and queerness
in a way that honors the culture without playing
onto stereotypes.
I would love to see a gay, lesbian,
LGBTQIA+ main character.
I think that that's so important.
We have come so far, but we also have so far to go.
The future of my community is bright.
I want all voices to be heard.
And I can't wait.
[MUSIC - DCAPPELLA, "I SEE THE LIGHT"]
(ALL, THROUGHOUT) [VARIOUS A CAPPELLA VOCALIZATIONS]
(SINGING) All those days watching from the windows.
All those years outside looking in.
All that time never even knowing just how blind I've been.
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight.
Now I'm here, suddenly I see.
Standing here, it's all so clear.
I'm where I'm meant to be.
And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light, and it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has somehow shifted.
All at once, everything looks different, now that I see you.
All those days chasing down a daydream.
All those years living in a blur.
(DUET) All that time never truly seeing things the way they were.
Now she's here, shining in the starlight.
Now she's here, suddenly I know.
If she's here, it's crystal clear,
I'm where I'm meant to go.
(FRONT FOUR) And at last I see the light.
And it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has somehow shifted.
All at once everything looks different, now that I see you.
Now that I see you.
[VOCALIZING]
I see you.
I am proud of my community because, despite everything, we
still find joy.
We are a resilient people.
We are strong.
We are vibrant.
We persevere.
We are resilient and have the courage to be ourselves.
We are relentless in our efforts to be treated equally.
There's going to be more allyship
because there's going to be more representation in the media.
I kind of just want my community to just be,
like, happy and safe, you know?
I want all communities to feel that way.
I think there's a lot of hurt that's going on.
There's so many policies, and laws, and even
practices that we do in our society
that are not about protecting.
We not only need to address things where they start,
but we also have to empower those who are gonna
be leading us into the future.
While it is a very scary time right now,
it's also supremely exciting because the vitality
and the youth and the expression that
is coming from a generation that will come after me,
and will lead the way, and will change this world.
The future is you watching us at home.
I think that the number one way
for any person to support the LGBTQIA+
community is to listen.
Allyship is easy.
All you have to do is reach out to a member of the community
and say, I'm there for you.
How can I help?
Not everyone in the community has a safe space.
A lot of people just need someone to talk to.
If you can just listen and just be supportive.
We need everyone to show up for our LGBTQIA+
community at the polls, and in schools, and in churches.
If you're in a position of power,
like hire, uplift. Like, you're the one that can help a lot.
I encourage whoever is viewing this,
whoever is considering at any point in time being quiet.
It's a struggle, I know, but I am
living proof that you can say it and you could survive it.
We have to speak up, and be loud, and be bold, and be
colorful, and also speak to the truth of seeing
themselves in the story.
In honor of Pride Month, Disney+
is proud to share "Trevor: The Musical"
with its global audiences.
"Trevor: The Musical" is inspired by the 1995 Academy
Award-winning short film that led to the creation
of The Trevor Project.
The Trevor Project exists to help build a better
world for LGBTQ+ young people, and make
sure they never feel alone.
To learn more about The Trevor Project
and their work in suicide prevention
and more, visit TheTrevorProject.org.
Supporting organizations like this is just
one of the many ways that you too can do your part
to help future generations of our community
have hope, support, pride, and love.
If we all work together, our community can
continue to thrive in Pride.
[MUSIC - ALEX NEWELL AND THE TRANS CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES,
"WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER"]
(SINGING) Here and now, it's time for celebration.
I finally figured it out.
That all our dreams have no limitations.
That's what it's all about.
Everyone is special in their own way.
We make each other strong.
We're not the same.
We're different in a good way.
Together's where we belong.
(ALL) We're all in this together.
Once we know that we are, we're all stars, and we see that.
We're all in this together,
and it shows when we stand hand in hand.
Make our dreams come true.
(ALL) Together, together, together, everyone.
Together, together.
Come on, let's have some fun.
Together, we're there for each other every time.
Together, together.
Come on, let's do this right.
We're all here speaking out with one voice.
We're gonna rock the house. (ALL) Rock the, rock the house.
The party's on.
Now, (ALL) everybody make some noise.
Go on and scream and shout.
We've arrived because we stuck together.
Champions (ALL) one and all.
(ALL) We're all in this together.
Once we know that we are, we're all stars, and we see that.
We're all in this together.
And it shows when we stand hand in hand, make our dreams come.
We're all in this together.
When we reach, we can fly, know inside we can make it.
We're all in this together.
Once we see, there's a chance that we have, and we take it.
(ALL) Oh, Wildcats sing along.
Yeah, you got it going on.
Wildcats in the house.
Everybody sing it now.
Wildcats everywhere.
Wave your hands up in the air.
That's the way we do it.
Let's get to it.
Time to show the world.
(ALL) Together, together, together, everyone.
Together, together.
Come on, let's have some fun. (ALEX NEWELL) (VOCALIZING)
Together, we're there for each other every time.
Together, together.
Come on, let's do this right.
Together, together, together, everyone.
Together, together.
Come on, let's have some fun.
Together, we're there for each other every time.
Together, together.
Come on, let's do this right.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]