Let's start with President of WDW. If he can do for Disney what he's done for his own company, then we can look at the Oval Office.
I completely agree about the merchandise problems. I think for the most part, Disney does a good job of inclusiveness, but I think the merchandise for kids is really disappointing. Not only the lack of good princess merch for boys, but the princess merch for girls is pretty one-dimensional. I wish it wasn't ALL just the hyper-glammed-up versions of these characters. There's nothing wrong with a little glitz and glamor, but reducing those characters to just that is disappointing to me. Belle was a bookworm, Merida prefers archery to ballgowns, Mulan FOUGHT IN A WAR for goodness sake! And you get some things. Like Ryno said, there is that sword & shield (which is great) and you can get Merida's bow. But most of what you find in the t-shirts, toys, etc. is the super fancy dress that they spent maybe 30% of the movie wearing (and in Mulan's case, she hated the way she looked in it so much that she SANG A WHOLE SONG ABOUT IT AND IT WAS THE CRUX OF HER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT okay I'm done). I just wish there was more diversity in the princess merch, because I love those characters so much. Certainly I don't want them to get rid of the pink and the fanciness (I like that stuff too), but just broaden it a little.I agree with everything Pete said today, but I have found myself disappointed in Disney in merchandise for boys. I have an almost 3 year old boy who LOVES princess movies and shows! There are no products for boys from Sophia the First. NO costumes of the boy characters. Same with the princess movies. We went in the Beauty and the Beast shop after Enchanted Tales with Belle and I almost spent my life's savings because they actual had Beauty and the Beast stuff for boys! Beast shirts! Gaston swords! It was awesome! Where is that merchandise in Disney Stores and department stores? There are girly toys for every Disney Junior show, but that is not the case for boys. It is a little frustrating. I have no problem buying my son a princess shirt, but they are even cut different and I don't want anyone to make him feel ashamed for liking what he likes.
I agree with everything Pete said today, but I have found myself disappointed in Disney in merchandise for boys. I have an almost 3 year old boy who LOVES princess movies and shows! There are no products for boys from Sophia the First. NO costumes of the boy characters. Same with the princess movies. We went in the Beauty and the Beast shop after Enchanted Tales with Belle and I almost spent my life's savings because they actual had Beauty and the Beast stuff for boys! Beast shirts! Gaston swords! It was awesome! Where is that merchandise in Disney Stores and department stores? There are girly toys for every Disney Junior show, but that is not the case for boys. It is a little frustrating. I have no problem buying my son a princess shirt, but they are even cut different and I don't want anyone to make him feel ashamed for liking what he likes.
I agree with you. I'm not so sure 3rd graders didn't write this. My son is now in 5th grade, but I have tried to raise him to have a voice over things that concern him, and he was certainly literate enough to write a letter on par with this when he was in the third grade. He is an only child and has always been talked to in an "adult" manner, as well as being a bookworm his entire life, so his sentence structure and vocabulary are fairly advanced. Had he mentioned this as a concern, and I could see it being a concern as we are constantly talking about other cultures, stereotypes, etc, I would have encouraged him to write a letter. It may not be sophisticated or totally ideal, but that would not have been the point... the point would have been that I am trying to encourage him to feel like he has a voice in our culture, and to speak up if he sees something that he views as wrong. I definitely agree with a lot of what Pete said, but I took a little bit of umbrage with him stating that this is reverse racism. (No, I wasn't OFFENDED LOL ) I think the point the kiddos were trying to make about stereotypes is that when one and only one viewpoint is represented for an entire culture, it can be perceived as a stereotype. Yes, that may have been part of the culture of the Congo... but it wasn't the entire culture, and we didn't get any other type of representation. I am not saying I was/am offended by this, but I can see where they were coming from, and I admire the fact that they did something about it in writing a letter. They (meaning adults/teachers that assisted) probably didn't think it would go "viral" or that they would get any response other than a form letter in return, but did use it as a chance to explore encouraging the children to address what they have perceived as a stereotype. And like you mentioned, they came up with some solutions, which I thought were pretty well thought out!I don't disagree with his rant in general, but I do think some of the alternate suggestions the "kids" gave were cute. I think if they were the product of brainstorming between the kids and their parents or teachers, as a lesson in problem solving and constructive criticism, rather than PC-ness, they were pretty good. I mean, they didn't just complain without offering alternatives. I'd love to see Disney's response, if they got one.
The thing is Keri, the kids weren't saying that different representations of the people of the Congo get represented (which still would be wrong because it's a scene depicting natives, what more can they do but be true to that part of the culture?) they said because they're all brown they should diversify it with white people. They aren't the same thing
My apologies! It must have been pete that mentioned it? (I'm re-listening now)I didn't hear that. I heard them say they should replace them with monkeys throwing rotten fruit. I thought that was a cute solution.
My apologies! It must have been pete that mentioned it? (I'm re-listening now)
However, how do you think the story would go if they replaced black skinned natives with monkeys? The connection would still be there and that would lead to a worse situation if you ask me.
At the moment in australia, there is a big drama with a football player who is aboriginal and aside from the fact that he is, he's also a big tool. He provokes the crowd to boo him and when they do, he pulls the race card. It's disgusting. They aren't booing him because he's aboriginal, they're doing it because he's an outright d-bag.
He has also been provoked though, by people in the crowd and on social media calling him a monkey. And that part is wrong. Whether he does or doesn't look like a monkey, it's considered derogatory because a monkey is a "lesser primate" than humans and he's taking it that way rather than being based on pure physical looks alone.
The team likened Sarah Jessica Parker to a horse and a foot, but she's not black, so it's not racist, but call a black man a monkey, and it is.
So, based on that, I can see worse backlash by replacing indigenous people with monkeys.
Honestly I think the weirdest part of all this was the tangent about Sarah Jessica-Parker looking like a foot/horse, even though it was before the speech and as such might be considered off-topic, though I feel it is connected. It struck me as strange since the general idea of the PC speech was about celebrating diversity and togetherness. I'm not sure that talking about someone in that way really helped their message of "equality for everyone". It shouldn't matter what someone looks like, just like it shouldn't matter what colour, gender or sexual orientation they are. Sure it was all in fun but why does the fun have to be at someone else's expense, especially when the main talking point of the day was treating everyone the same, no matter what. I just thought it needed to be said
That's because redheads are desirable <3 I laughed at the women chasing men change. I'm a feminist, and it just seemed odd. It, like the Jungle Cruise Congo natives argument, is true to the facts. Pirates did steal women. You can't change history, no matter how you try to doctor it. These things HAPPENED. I personally find it weird that Disney would rather change things to silence the few people who have a problem, rather than stick to the integrity of the original attraction.Of course, the auction still features the redhead as the preferred object of the bidders' desires.
Hunterr I completely agree! I'm glad I wasn't chewed out for speaking out against Pete people seem pretty rabidly loyal! He's great, and usually on point, I just think he missed the mark this time. Ah well.While i wasn't OFFENDED or anything, his mini rant on Sarah Jessica Parker was weird and out of place. I know the joke of what comedians say she looks like, but yeesh. He kept saying it over and over. Seemed less funny coming from Pete for some reason. (and this is coming from someone who loves insult comics )
And - if I may interject - it "makes fun of" the fat lady chasing the man - being a larger person - IF I were easily offended - I would be.Replacing the natives with monkeys reminds me of when they changed Pirates to be PC. Instead of the men chasing the women, now the women chase the men. Apparently that's more socially acceptable. Of course, the auction still features the redhead as the preferred object of the bidders' desires.
However, how do you think the story would go if they replaced black skinned natives with monkeys? The connection would still be there and that would lead to a worse situation if you ask me.
which is more a problem of our societyPete walked a tightrope today, in terms of the subject matter, and did a great job.