Even in a world as wonderfully diverse as ours, it seems like an uphill battle to see that world properly represented in films and television, let alone the entertainment aimed at younger viewers. But over the past decade, larger representation across the various platforms of entertainment has thankfully become more visible, both on-screen and behinds the scenes in the area of creative staffing. And back in 2012, ParaNorman took a tiny step towards seeing the larger world represented on screen when, near the end of the film, it's revealed that Mitch (Casey Affleck), in an almost throwaway moment, is gay.
Frequently cited as the first openly gay character in an American animated movie, part of what makes this moment work so well is how casual Mitch's sexuality fits into the world of ParaNorman, a detail that completely checks out with how his character functions in the larger narrative but something that never verges on the edge of being stereotypical or the butt of any jokes. If anything, the reveal at the end is more of a joke on Courtney (Anna Kendrick) for not even questioning that Mitch might not be interested in her, making one small step for a larger spectrum of representation in our entertainment.
