Disney Admits To ‘Harmful’ Racist Overtones In Label For Old Films On Disney+
Image via IMDb
Disney+ has been adding a mellow disclaimer in front of its old films to inform viewers that it “may contain outdated cultural depictions.” Now, it is updating the label to spark conversations about racial stereotypes.
The new warning highlights “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures” and how these stereotypes “were wrong then and are wrong now.”
The company emphasizes that it chose not to remove such movies in order to address the “harmful impact” their messages can bring.
The label is now inserted into the openings of several films, including Lady and the Tramp, Jungle Book Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson.
Disney has also set up a website, titled Stories Matter, to educate viewers about the racial connotations referenced in past movies. One of the examples is 1941’s Dumbo, which has a scene where white performers put on blackened faces and torn clothes to imitate enslaved Africans.
View Disney+’s updated disclaimer below.
Disney+ has added an on-screen content advisory to films that include “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.”
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) October 15, 2020
The message displays prior to several films including Lady and the Tramp, Jungle Book Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson. pic.twitter.com/C9m2wOgQ7i
[via CNET, cover image via IMDb]
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