by Panpardus » November 19th, 2016, 6:53 am
Eh, I kinda doubt it, given the target demographic. I don't really think sexual orientation or gender identity is really something that any preschool show is going to address; introducing new romances probably isn't going to happen in the first place, or at least I don't expect much in that vein. (Plus, Timon and Pumbaa act so much like parents to Bunga that I sometimes think that this is the furthest the show would be willing to go on that front, which isn't necessarily bad; they don't make a big deal out of it, which I at least think is nice.)
As far as gender identity itself, I guess there's potential for the show to address things like dismantling stereotypical gendered roles and images with something like a maneless lion or maned lioness, although I wouldn't necessarily say that it would really match the idea of transgenderism itself, since while being trans may not necessarily be a choice, there is usually some conscious effort for trans individuals to look the part of their preferred gender if they don't see themselves as already being sufficiently feminine or masculine. A maned lioness doesn't really have that choice; she just has a mane because of biology, and there haven't been any studies that indicate that they're more likely to act any differently than a typical lioness, though they may still be targeted by others for looking a bit strange, so bullying issues pertaining to that could be something within the purview of the show.
Of course, I say this as a straight cis male, so maybe my perspective is a bit inaccurate or not necessarily reflective of at least some people's experiences.