The United Arab Emirates on Monday banned the upcoming Pixar animated feature "Lightyear" from showing in movie theaters after its inclusion of a kiss between two lesbian characters.
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The decision by the UAE comes as Malaysia also reportedly will ban the film, raising the possibility other Muslim-majority nations could follow suit on one of Disney's biggest animated films of the year as the film industry emerges from the depths of the coronavirus pandemic.
The UAE, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, announced through its Media Regulatory Office of the country's Ministry of Youth and Culture that the film would not be opening in the country this Thursday.
The film "is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country's media content standards," the office said in a tweet. "The office confirms that all films screened in cinemas across the country are subject to follow-up and evaluation before the date of screening to the public, to ensure the safety of the circulated content according to the appropriate age classification."
