Disney Plus's Acknowledgement of Offensive Scenes Is A Step In The Right Direction
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Disney Plus's Acknowledgement of Offensive Scenes Is A Step In The Right Direction

By leaving the scenes as they are, Disney is taking a step towards educating its audiences rather than pretending that these instances of racism never happened.

121
Disney Plus's Acknowledgement of Offensive Scenes Is A Step In The Right Direction

Disney recently launched its new streaming service, Disney+, which includes about 500 movies and 7,500 TV episodes. Among the service's extensive library are Disney's older films. After the launch of Disney+, many users noticed that the descriptions of some of these older movies included warnings that they "contain outdated cultural depictions." The films "Peter Pan," "The Aristocats," and "The Lady and the Tramp" are among those that contain this warning.

The warning has generally received a positive response on social media. While these older films are considered classics and are a quintessential element of many people's childhoods, it is still important to acknowledge the faults in these films, especially those are offensive or, in this case, racist. Scenes such as the appearance of the Siamese cats in "The Lady and the Tramp," the Siamese cat playing the piano with chopsticks in "The Aristocats," and the depiction of Native Americans in "Peter Pan" have all been criticized for presenting harmful stereotypes, and these offensive portrayals of people of color needed to be addressed by Disney.

It is especially important that Disney chose to still feature these films on their streaming service in their original form. Rather than editing or removing the particularly offensive scenes, they chose to keep them and attach the warning. Too often in these situations, offensive scenes are simply edited out as if they never existed. When these are scenes and portrayals of minorities that have already been widely viewed and ingrained in the memories of those who have seen them, erasing these instances is counterproductive and only serves to sweep racism and other forms of prejudice under the rug rather than fully acknowledging how harmful they can be. By leaving the scenes as they are, Disney is taking a step towards educating its audiences rather than pretending that these instances of racism never happened.

The offensive portrayals of people of color in some of Disney's films has had a very real impact in the past: as a child, I remember being grouped with the few other Asian-American students at our preschool and being told to sing the Siamese cat song from "The Lady and the Tramp" at our graduation, and I certainly grew up watching "The Lady and the Tramp" and many other Disney classics in school. Seeing Disney acknowledge their own racism in their older films is personally encouraging to me, as someone who has experienced forms of alienation due, in part, to these racist scenes, and there are likely many other people of color who feel the same. Although the addition of these warnings may only seem to be a small step, it certainly signifies how much has changed and, hopefully, how much more progress can be made in the representation of minorities.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

55295
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

35631
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

957681
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

185320
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments