Disney+ is now preventing kids from watching “racist” classics such as Dumbo and Peter Pan.
The streaming service has gotten called out about several of their classic movies that have stereotypical portrayals. Titles on the list that are now forbidden on the Kids Profile, for children under seven, include: Dumbo, Peter Pan, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Aristocats.
However, adults will still have access to these films and the movies will now contain disclaimers warning of “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or culture.”
“These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” a Disney advisory read. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”
The decision was made back in October 2020 to limit these films for children seven-years-of ages and under. So, just what were the exact the reasons these particular films were pulled?
Peter Pan (1953)
“The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as ‘redskins,’ an offensive term. Peter and the Lost Boys engage in dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes.”
Dumbo (1941)
“The crows and musical number pay homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations. The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States.”
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
“The pirates who antagonize the Robinson family are portrayed as a stereotypical foreign menace. Many appear in ‘yellow face’ or ‘brown face’ and are costumed in an exaggerated and inaccurate manner with top knot hairstyles, queues, robes and overdone facial make-up and jewelry, reinforcing their barbarism and ‘otherness.’”
The Aristocats (1970)
“The (Siamese) cat (Shun Gon) is depicted as a racist caricature of East Asian peoples with exaggerated stereotypical traits such as slanted eyes and buck teeth. He sings in poorly accented English voiced by a white actor and plays the piano with chopsticks.”
What do you think? Do you think that Disney+ should have limited these movies or not? Sound-off and comment below. We want to hear from you!
