5 Disney Movies About Embracing Differences

Our family recently watched Zootopia 2. I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't expect a message so warm and applicable to the world. Regardless of your affiliations in the mortal journey, I think we can all agree there's a great deal of chaos in the world. No surprised, based on the number of Biblical prophecies about our day. You don't need to go far to see how "men's hearts will fail them" (Luke 21:26) and "the love of many shall wax cold" (Matthew 24:12). It's always us against them. The more differences, the more we fight. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many Disney movies have taught us to look past those differences and these are just a few that came to my mind.

Zootopia

Both this movie and its sequel fit this theme perfectly. First it was predators against prey. In the second, it was mammals against reptiles. There were animals in Zootopia that wanted to pit the world against itself for their selfish reasons. Power. Influence. It's because Judy and Nick were able to see past those differences that Zootopia was changed for the better. Later it was Judy and Gary clinging together that returned a community of reptiles to their homes. Yeah, we're all different. But we can work together.

Hunchback of Notre Dame

Talk about different: a physically deformed Quasimodo and a pariah Esmerelda. The mad priest Frollo was bent on putting people against the gipsies because of their differences. As with many situations of us against them, We have more in common than we have different. The world will always fare better if we focus on those similarities instead of differences.

A Bug’s Life

For this movie, I’m not even talking about the different types of bugs working together. Even within the ant colony there are differences, especially with Flik and Dot. Aside from those two oddballs, the colony isn’t accustomed to working together, except to pool the food for the grasshoppers. Hopper knew that the ants had the sheer numbers to overwhelm their oppressors. Once the ants realized this and pulled together to stand against Hopper’s crew, it was easy to gain their freedom. 

The Tigger Movie

Once proud of being the only Tigger, our bouncy friend began to realize how lonely that reality is as. Off on an adventure to find his striped family, Tigger wanted to find belonging with those who would understand him. Funny how he wanted a crew of folks exactly the same as himself, not a group of Tiggers with their own personalities and interests. When other bouncy trouncy friends weren’t doing, the residents of the Hundred Acre Wood can’t together for Togger. Their differences made the community what it was. Not a group of identical Tiggers, but a diverse family of friends. 

Lilo and Stitch 

If you know me, you knew I had to include Stitch in this list. Both he and Lilo felt alone in the world: Lilo’s peers actively rejected her and Stitch was as literally the only one of his kind. Rejected by those little goths and the Galactic Council, they found a home and an Ohana together with humans and aliens alike. Just another example of how family and love are available to everyone, no matter how different we are. 

When Zootopia 2 inspired this post, I knew there was more I wanted to say about it. I still don’t feel like I’ve articulated everything I wanted from viewing that movie. So seated tuned for whatever comes to my mind and heart in future viewings. Maybe it’ll come to me during General Conference. In the meantime, check out Zootopia 2 and these other movies on Disney Plus.