Last week, December 11, 2024, news spread about a petition calling for a boycott of the movie Wicked. The petition was pushed by the conservative group One Million Moms, who have become known for trying to stop media they view as inappropriate for children.
They argue that the movie promotes witchcraft and LGBTQ+ themes, which they believe could influence young viewers negatively. The group claims the movie includes witchcraft and sorcery, which are often viewed as inappropriate by conservative parents. But what sparked even more backlash is their concern over the LGBTQ+ themes.
According to the petition, the film features crossdressing and men showing affection for other men. The petition also mentions that some of the movie’s main actors are openly queer or have spoken about their queer experiences, which One Million Moms sees as a problem.
They criticize Universal Pictures for trying to “normalize” the LGBTQ+ lifestyle and call for people to avoid the film to protect children from what they view as harmful content.
Kristin Chenoweth, who played Glinda in the Broadway version of Wicked, recently responded to the petition in a post on Instagram, which we have reported on. She emphasized that the film is art and should be seen as a celebration of girl power. She mentioned that, as a Christian woman, she doesn’t agree with the petition’s arguments but tries to understand the perspective behind it.
What some people may not know is that One Million Moms was founded by the American Family Association (AFA), a conservative group with strong Christian beliefs. The AFA has long been opposed to LGBTQ+ rights and same-sex marriage.
The group has also been vocal about their issues with modern Paganism. In several articles published in October 2024, the AFA claimed that modern Paganism is becoming more widespread in society, pointing to movies like Wicked as part of the growing trend.
The AFA’s rhetoric, led by Linda Harvey, describes Paganism as something that is harmful to society. She argues that this growing belief system encourages self-indulgence and leads to problems such as the sexualization of children.
Harvey even draws connections between Pagan beliefs and the tragic shootings that have taken place in schools. According to her, there is a direct link between these events and the growing acceptance of Paganism in American culture. The petition from One Million Moms echoes some of these points, saying that Wicked and other media normalize lifestyles that they view as harmful.
The group claims that Universal Pictures has ignored the values of Christian families by promoting such themes. The petition’s author, who claims to speak for Christian families, says they will not support Wicked or any future Universal productions due to the content.
Despite the controversy, the movie has performed very well at the box office. Wicked has earned a massive $112.5 million in domestic box office sales and is nearing $400 million worldwide. It has now become the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing the previous record-holder, Grease.
The sequel to Wicked is already planned for release on November 21, 2025, and it looks like the controversy over the film may continue as the next installment nears. While One Million Moms pushes their petition forward with concerns over witchcraft and LGBTQ+ themes, many others are still flocking to the theaters, proving that Wicked has found a lot of support despite the backlash, which is absolutely amazing.
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