5
Mickey Mouse Commits A Hate Crime
The last comic character you'd expect to say something wrong is Mickey Mouse. The spokesperson for a mega corp that basically owns childhood, Mr. Mouse is meant to be as wholesome as they go. But he was still created in the 1920s, and that means he has some outdated views, like being totally cool with casual homophobia.
This old Mickey Mouse comic starts out normal enough. You have Mickey getting into a bit of a scuffle with the creatively named Kat Nipp. Nipp doesn't want the likes of Mickey "moochin'" on his turf, and warns him that if he ever sees him again, he'll tie his tail into a knot. Mickey reacts to this as if Nipp just threatened to give his downstairs magic wand an Indian burn.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
In fact, a lot of this comic hints that in the Disney Universe, tails are pretty straightforward penis substitutes. At one point, Mickey's tail goes "limp" and he worries that he "can't do anything with it," like it's his third arm or something. Burdened by this caudal dysfunction, Mickey decides to go to Nipp's house to settle things and maybe regain a bit of his manhood through violence. But when he gets there, he doesn't find the house's occupant, but a "tough gentleman" of undetermined species.
Walt Disney
But here's the gag: This tough gentleman is in fact a very sweet and soft fellow wearing a floppy hat, long eyelashes, and a big bow around his neck. He's also an obvious gay stereotype, complete with a limp wrist and lisp.
Walt Disney