
It’s always amusing when people criticize Walt Disney for being sexist because of the way he ran his company over 70 years ago, while completely overlooking the contemporary Disney Company’s abysmal track record of promoting women into top creative positions. While Walt Disney’s behavior can at least be understood in the historical context of mid-twentieth century America, the company’s actions today are indefensible.
Take, for example, Disney Television Animation. Launched in 1984, the division has produced over 50 half-hour series in the past thirty years, and of those half-hour series, only one—let me repeat that, ONLY ONE— was created solely by a woman. And it has been 17 years since the premiere of that series—Sue Rose’s Pepper Ann.

Disney TV has finally deemed a second woman worthy of helming her own half-hour series. Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, created by Daron Nefcy, a 2009 CalArts grad, will debut on Disney Channel and Disney XD in 2015. Disney teased the show at the San Diego Comic-Con last month with this footage: