While going through its library of content for films and shows to put on its streaming service, Disney has reportedly labeled a few of its beloved characters as "potentially problematic," according to a report from the New York Times.
Tinkerbell and Captain Hook from the classic 1953 Disney animated movie "Peter Pan" reportedly fall under the category of characters who could possibly require a disclaimer on the Disney+ streaming service, as they could be seen as perpetuating negative stereotypes.
The NYT article says Disney's version of Tinker Bell, based upon J. M. Barrie's 1904 play "Peter Pan" and its 1911 novelization "Peter and Wendy," was flagged for concern because Tinker Bell is jealous of Peter Pan's attention toward Wendy, and because she is "body-conscious."
Captain Hook, who famously has a prosthetic hook where his hand would be, was reportedly flagged because he exposes Disney to accusations of prejudice against disabled individuals due to his villainous nature.
Disney's "Stories Matter" team was responsible for flagging potentially problematic characters and sending their findings to senior leads at the company, current Disney executives reportedly told the NYT.
Stories shape how we see ourselves and everyone around us. So as storytellers, we have the power and responsibility to not only uplift and inspire, but also consciously, purposefully and relentlessly champion the spectrum of voices and perspectives in our world," Disney's Stories Matter Team says on its website. "As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, we are in the process of reviewing our library and adding advisories to content that includes negative depictions or mistreatment of people or cultures. Rather than removing this content, we see an opportunity to spark conversation and open dialogue on history that affects us all. We also want to acknowledge that some communities have been erased or forgotten altogether, and we're committed to giving voice to their stories as well.
Another reported example of a potentially problematic Disney character is Ursula the Sea Witch from Disney's 1989 animated classic "The Little Mermaid."We can't change the past, but we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together to create a tomorrow that today can only dream of," the Stories Matter Team says.
The NYT article says Disney's team was concerned Ursula could come across as "queer-coded," and therefore her flamboyant behavior is potentially homophobic.
Also, as Ursula is of dark complexion and of a darker, light-purplish skin tone, the villainess was also reportedly a potential target of critics who would see her as a possible racist depiction.
Disney's "Stories Matter" team has been placing advisories on the company's content and products whenever potential problematic content is flagged and acknowledged. The advisory appears before the content is played.
Examples of content deemed necessary to receive the advisory by Disney include the animated movies "Aristocats" and "Dumbo."This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. 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 content advisory reads. "Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.
In Aristocats, a cat with slanted eyes and buck teeth is noted by the team to be "a racist caricature of East Asian peoples." In Dumbo, a murder of crows who perform musical number is noted by the team to be an "homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations."
Peter Pan is also a recipient of the advisory warning, as the team says the animated film portrays Native Americans in a stereotypical manner.
A celebration between the "Indians" and Peter Pan after the titular character rescues Princess Tiger Lily has characters engaging in "dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes, a form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples' culture and imagery," the team says.
The Stories Matter Team is consulted by third-party organizations, such as the African American Film Critics Association, GLAAD Media Institute, and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, among various others.
