The Inclusion Bites Podcast

Animating Queer Futures

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Creating a Gayer and More Colourful Disney

AJ explores the power of authentic queer and bipoc storytelling, the challenges of independent animation, and the importance of creating unapologetically inclusive media that offers hope, validation, and representation to communities.

In this episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood welcomes AJ Hannah to explore the vibrant, challenging, and timely subject of animating queer futures. Together, they consider what it means to reimagine the animation industry—traditionally dominated by mainstream narratives—through unapologetically queer and intersectional lenses. AJ and Joanne unpack how authentic representation behind and in front of the camera can disrupt stereotypes, empower marginalised creators, and spark meaningful social change, especially amidst political and cultural backlash against inclusion. Their discussion deftly traverses the realities of building a grassroots, diversity-first studio, funding hurdles, the significance of community-driven support, and the defiant joy of making space where others refuse to tread.

AJ is the founder and creative director of 3dio Studios, a queer-led, BIPOC woman-founded indie animation studio. Her current projects, including the adult animated series Poison Us, position her on the frontline of championing globally resonant LGBTQ+ storytelling. Drawing on her background in journalism, personal journey as a gender fluid person of colour, and determination to provide platforms for talent overlooked by traditional Hollywood, AJ weaves her lived experiences into the narratives and opportunities she creates. Her focus is on telling the stories major studios eschew, ensuring characters and talent genuinely reflect the communities they represent both on screen and behind the microphone.

Joanne and AJ probe the nuances of representation, from refusing to erase queer identities for wider market appeal to the importance of paying underrepresented artists a fair wage. They address the responsibilities of queer-led organisations to hold space for authentic narratives and discuss the realities of operating without corporate safety nets—fuelled by defiant hope, community investment, and the will to dismantle outdated norms. With stories of resilience, creative chaos, and the pleasure of minor acts of rebellion, this episode offers both practical insight and inspiration, urging listeners to consider how inclusion is brought to life—not just in storylines, but within every line drawn and every voice amplified.

A key takeaway from this conversation is the transformative power of authentic, unapologetic storytelling that centres queer and BIPOC voices—not as an act of tokenism, but as an act of justice, hope, and cultural reclamation. Listeners will be inspired to reflect on whose narratives are missing, understand the value of investing in grassroots inclusion, and feel encouraged to be part of the movement animating a more inclusive future.

 
Published: 22.01.2026
Recorded: 15.09.2025
Duration: 00:00
 
Shownotes:
  • AI Extracts and Interpretations
  • The Inclusion Bites Podcast #193 Animating Queer Futures
    — app.castmagic.io
  • Other Links
  • SEE Change Happen: The Inclusive Culture Experts
    — seechangehappen.co.uk
  • Inclusion Bites Podcast on YouTube
    Clips and Timestamps

    Viral Topic: Diversity in Animation

    “Our mission, is to tell these sort of storeys that are missing in Disney.”
    — AJ Hannah [00:06:03 → 00:06:09]

    Viral Topic: Diversity in Animation

    “So that’s what we want to do, is we want to bring more people of colour in and queer people in and people that haven’t been able to really lead and put those things in to animation into storeys without that pushback from the board or, hey, you need to rewrite this.”
    — AJ Hannah [00:07:00 → 00:07:21]

    Viral Topic: Queer Youth and Censorship: “even in China, where sometimes you’ll get censored stuff, they’ll still go, and the queer young people of China will still go and they’ll find what they want to watch.”

    — AJ Hannah [00:09:51 → 00:10:02]

    Authentic Representation in Media: “But if you don’t have the people behind it, the storyboard artists, the writers, the voice actors behind it that can actually tell that storey in a representative and authentic sort of way, then what are you doing?”

    — AJ Hannah [00:11:16 → 00:11:31]

    Hollywood’s Talent Gatekeeping: “There are so many talented people that are not seen in Hollywood because it’s very much a who you know, or this person knows this person and recommended them. So you end up, or you went to school with this person. And that leaves out a whole demographic that leaves out several demographics of people. That leaves out people in other countries that maybe couldn’t afford to go to scad. That leaves out people that, you know, even in this country that couldn’t afford to go to acting school or, you know, knew that, hey, acting school is probably not my best choice. As a queer person of colour. I need something that I can fall back on, that’s going to spend more money, but at the same time, they’re a great voice actor or voice actress and they, you know, do it on the side. They’re not represented, they’re not being seen by people or they’re just.”

    — AJ Hannah [00:14:04 → 00:14:58]

    Indie Animation Release Strategies: “We get to decide when we’re putting them out, which gives us amount of time, whatever amount of time we need to finish it or to make it so if somebody has.”

    — AJ Hannah [00:22:22 → 00:22:32]

    Viral Topic: Funding Queer Indie Animation

    “I don’t know of anybody that actually takes in the, hey, we. We want to, you know, we want to fund indie Animation, especially queer indie animation or we want to fund indie, you know, media in the queer and, you know, people of colour sphere.”
    — AJ Hannah [00:36:08 → 00:36:54]

    Viral Topic: Overcoming Personal Barriers

    “I can’t even work up the courage to stick my thumb out on the highway. I would rather end up walking 10 miles than ask for help.”
    — AJ Hannah [00:39:27 → 00:40:18]

    Viral Topic: The Decline of Journalism and Finding Representation

    “I mean, it was already a dying industry when I went into it as an 18 year old who didn’t know that I shouldn’t be taking out all those student loans for journalism.”
    — AJ Hannah [00:41:53 → 00:42:01]

    Viral Topic: Hidden Subversion in Art: “how can we be there and very much still be loud and showy, but also like just under their nose enough to where we’re able to paint on their ceiling?”

    — AJ Hannah [00:47:58 → 00:48:12]

    Definition of Terms Used
    What is Indie Animation?
    • Definition: Indie animation refers to animated films, series, or shorts that are produced independently, outside the established structures of large corporate studios. These works are often created on smaller budgets and champion creative autonomy.
    • Relevance: Indie animation is pivotal for underrepresented voices—including queer and BIPOC creators—who may not otherwise gain access to mainstream industry channels due to institutional barriers and funding limitations.
    • Examples: The animated series “Poison Us” produced by 3dio Studios; short films by independent animators shared via YouTube or Kickstarter.
    • Related Terms: Independent Film, Studio Animation, Crowdfunding, Creative Autonomy
    • Common Misconceptions: It is commonly believed that indie animation is amateurish or lacks professional quality; however, many indie productions rival mainstream works in craftsmanship and storytelling, but operate with different funding models.
      • What is DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in Animation?
      • Definition: DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, referring to initiatives that actively seek to create fair and representative workplaces by ensuring opportunities for marginalised groups within an organisation or industry.
      • Relevance: DEI is particularly significant in animation, where BIPOC, queer, and women professionals have historically been underrepresented, especially in decision-making and creative leadership roles.
      • Examples: Studio policies that hire transgender or BIPOC voice actors for representative roles; leadership schemes for women animators.
      • Related Terms: Representation, Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, Majority Culture
      • Common Misconceptions: DEI is often dismissed as merely a ‘tick-box’ exercise or accused of diminishing quality; in reality, it enhances authenticity, creativity, and audience appeal.
        • What is Pay Equity in Indie Creative Work?
        • Definition: Pay equity in this context means compensating all contributors to a project—writers, voice actors, artists, etc.—fairly for their labour, regardless of the production’s independent or grassroots status.
        • Relevance: Fair pay addresses longstanding exploitation in creative industries, where indie projects have historically relied on unpaid work, especially from marginalised creators who struggle to access mainstream venues.
        • Examples: 3dio Studios’ commitment to paying all staff—including those without agents—over exposure or “experience only” arrangements.
        • Related Terms: Living Wage, Creative Gig Economy, Exploitation, Union Rates
        • Common Misconceptions: It is sometimes thought that creatives should work for free to “build a portfolio”; this devalues skilled workers and further entrenches inequities.
          • What is Authentic Representation?
          • Definition: Authentic representation describes the portrayal of characters, cultures, and experiences in a manner that accurately reflects the lived realities of those depicted, especially through the involvement of creators from those communities.
          • Relevance: Authenticity in creative media ensures that stories resonate with marginalised audiences, reduce harmful stereotypes, and support self-identification, thus fostering genuine inclusion.
          • Examples: Casting a Filipino voice actor as a Filipino character, engaging trans men as both voice and creative contributors for trans-male characters.
          • Related Terms: Inclusive Casting, Cultural Consultancy, Lived Experience
          • Common Misconceptions: Some believe diverse casting simply involves visual “tokenism”; however, authentic representation demands matching behind-the-scenes voices to on-screen identities.
            • What is Community-Driven Content Funding?
            • Definition: Community-driven content funding refers to financing creative projects through contributions and sponsorship from supporters—often using platforms like Kickstarter or Patreon—rather than traditional investors or studios.
            • Relevance: This model enables underrepresented creators to retain creative control, directly engage with their audience, and bypass institutional gatekeepers less likely to back niche or “risky” stories centred on LGBTQ or BIPOC experiences.
            • Examples: The “Poison Us” Kickstarter; Patreon support for queer and BIPOC animation studios; merch sales funding future production.
            • Related Terms: Crowdfunding, Grassroots Sponsorship, Independent Media, Patronage
            • Common Misconceptions: Some believe community funding cannot sustain high-quality projects; increasingly, successful campaigns demonstrate the willingness of audiences to support meaningful content directly.
              • FAQ
              • What is Indie Animation?
                • Indie animation is animation created outside major studios, often driven by independent artists and small teams, and typically funded through community or alternative routes. It empowers marginalised storytellers whose perspectives may be side-lined in mainstream media.
              • What is DEI in Animation?
                • DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices, which in animation aim to level the playing field for women, queer, and BIPOC creators and ensure their perspectives are integrated both on- and off-screen.
              • What is Pay Equity in Indie Creative Work?
                • Pay equity ensures that all contributors to creative projects are paid fairly, countering historic expectations that artists—especially from marginalised groups—work for little or nothing on the promise of exposure.
              • What is Authentic Representation?
                • Authentic representation means characters and stories are developed and portrayed in close consultation with, or by, people from those actual communities, enhancing credibility and relevance.
              • What is Community-Driven Content Funding?
                • This is a model by which projects are financed directly by interested audiences or community supporters, helping marginalised creators bypass traditional industry gatekeepers and maintain creative autonomy.
                Please connect with our hosts and guests, why not make contact..?

                Brought to you by your host
                Joanne Lockwood
                SEE Change Happen

                A huge thank you to our wonderful
                guest
                AJ Hannah
                FWDIO Studios

                The post Animating Queer Futures appeared first on SEE Change Happen: The Inclusive Culture Experts.

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                The Inclusion Bites PodcastBy Joanne Lockwood