Fact Check: Will Moana be transgender in Moana 2? Viral TikTok claim debunked 

Claims of Disney princess Moana being transgender in the upcoming sequel have spread like wildfire across TikTok. Reports of the children’s movie production giant wanting to prioritize inclusivity have made it online. As the information circulates, it is worth noting that it is far from the truth. Disney had not announced that the protagonist would be transgender at the time of writing this article.

On December 10, Disney blog Mouse Trap News published an article that claimed that the animated princess would transition “from a girl to a boy” in an upcoming sequel supposedly titled- Moana 2: Rise of Kai. If Moana were to transition, she would be Disney’s first transgender princess.

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What are the viral claims surrounding Moana's character?

Mouse Trap News claims that the forthcoming Moana sequel would center on the princess conquering her obstacles, including discovering and appreciating who she is. In one scene of the upcoming movie, she reportedly croons to the audience in a song- How Far I’ll Go. The track will reportedly be a metaphor for the protagonist wanting to become a boy, which finally takes place in the film.

Mouse Trap News said:

“The Walt Disney Company is putting inclusivity at the top of its agenda. They want to appeal more to people who don’t watch their movies over parents and children. This is why they now have Furry Days, men can be Disney princesses, and Elsa marrying a woman in Frozen 3.”

The publication also took to its Instagram and TikTok accounts to upload an edited video that shows the princess as a male. They reported in the video that Moana who becomes Kai, shares her identity with his family and friends on the island, however, their transphobic nature leads to him having “many mental health issues.” The village that Kai belongs to reportedly changes their “bigoted mindset” to “fully embrace” Kai eventually.

Despite claims of the princess becoming transgender spread like wildfire, they are far from the truth.

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Rumors of Moana becoming transgender are false

Claims of the protagonist becoming Disney’s first transgender princess are far from the truth. The claims originated on the Mouse Trap News website which is famously known for being a satire publication. In their About section, they note:

"We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff… We write 100% made-up stories for your enjoyment. We also hope that Disney sees how much people like some of our stories and decide to actually make one of our stories a reality! While you read our articles, be sure to keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the vehicle at all times, and remember these are strictly fictional for your enjoyment."

There has also been no confirmation of Disney releasing a sequel to the legendary movie, let alone one called Rise of Kai. However, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced in April that his production company had collaborated with Disney to create a live-action of the film.

Walt Disney Animation Studios had also announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2022 that they would be eventually releasing a series based on the princess on Disney+ however, more information about the same was made unavailable at the time of writing this article.

This is not the first time claims of a Disney princess representing the queer community have spread like wildfire. In October, reports of Frozen’s Elsa marrying a woman in the movie's sequel made headlines. However, they were untrue.