A Disney Adult’s Perspective on Controversy
As a kid, I only ever went to Disney for vacations. I am definitely not complaining, simply stating a fact. When I play two truths and a lie, I generally talk about the numerous times I have gone to Disney. My parents really liked it and now, as someone somewhat financially responsible, I have made the decision to go two times within the last 2 years, mostly out of my own pocket. My sister and I go for short three or four-day trips, but we are somewhat of pros when it comes to getting in and getting out, while still taking too many pictures and eating so many snacks. Putting my love for the place aside, there are some controversies around the company itself and recent films from Disney and the animation company, Pixar.
Photo by Disney
Walt Disney created his company is 1923 with his brother Roy Disney. These brothers began by producing animations put to beautiful music, known as the Silly Symphonies. As the years have gone by, movies like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Fox and the Hound, and in more recent years, remakes such as Maleficent and Cruella. I will be discussing the latter, because when it was released on Disney+ in 2021, there was a slight uproar amongst viewers. The movie was released in theaters and on Disney+ with premier access in May 2021. Some Disney fans were fine with waiting or, like my family, we paid the $30 fee to watch it. I really enjoyed the movie, but then I hopped onto Facebook and saw some other opinions. Just like Maleficent in 2014, this movie rewrote the backstory of the villain of a beloved children’s movie. Some argue, and I agree, that this rewriting somewhat glorifies animal cruelty however we do not see any cruelty within Cruella, that is all from 101 Dalmatians (1961). The most shocking discovery that I made was seeing that some parents thought this movie was unchristian. Some parents compared it to The Joker (2019), while others got caught up with the name change of the manor at the end of the film and the character of Artie, who owns a dress shop and is seen wearing dresses in the film. In my opinion, the film is rated PG-13, so parents have the decision to not allow their younger children to watch it. However, by the time a child is 13, it seems unlikely that they have never seen or heard the word ‘hell’ nor known anyone who is openly gay. This movie was a new look at a villain who is easy to dislike, but I believe it shares that not everyone is all bad or all good. Next up: the Pixar controversies.
Photo by Disney
Pixar was bought in 2006 by the Walt Disney Company, and they have produced movies we all know and love: The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Brave, and the list goes on and on. Within the last year, two movies have been released that had gotten quite a bit of attention, but not for the best reasons. Luca was released in June 2021 and was an amazing movie in my opinion that showcased the rebellious nature of adolescents and teens, and also showed Luca coming into his own. I think it was a good mix of coming of age and also learning a lesson, even if Luca did stay on land in the end. This movie, along with Turning Red which came out in March 2022, received backlash for portraying two 13-year-olds disobeying their parents. For those who haven’t seen Turning Red, it is about a 13-year-old girl living in Toronto, Canada with her parents, and she begins to turn into a red panda. Throughout both films, we see the adolescents running from their parents at times but also trying to come to terms with who they are and beginning to see what they want to be. As someone who is not a parent but still remembers being 13 and fighting with my mom, I love the representation in these films. It should be noted also that in Turning Red there is a discussion of periods, albeit brief. Teens are going to rebel because they are trying to grow up and push the boundaries to figure out where the rules lie because they know they are not complete children anymore but also not yet adults. From a parental perspective, people say children shouldn’t watch either because it teaches them to rebel and break the rules. There are also people who believe Turning Red is too serious to show kids younger than 9 because of the small mention of periods. While I see the parental desire of not having kids betray your trust, I would argue that films that show some rebellion, and the resolution of the actions are better for children to see. If children go to school and simply hear about how their friends are rebelling and being reckless, they are likely to interact. We cannot stop teens from trying out new things and messing up sometimes. Watching the resolution and being open to conversations is more important than just censoring movies and books, but that is a topic for another article.
There is a hot topic conversation going on amidst the news of Florida’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill. Florida is not the only state in the U.S. to make a bill of this nature. Tennessee, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Indiana have proposed “that restrict how textbooks and curriculums teach LGBTQ+ topics, who can be hired and what teachers are allowed to say when it comes to gender identity and sexual orientation.” These kinds of bills censor what teachers can tell students, which would involve leaving out valuable parts of history, such as the Stonewall riots. Some bills are so over-reaching that schools wouldn’t be allowed to discuss sex without the goal of children. Again, that is a conversation for another article. As someone who loves Disney World, Land, and the cruises, there is a part of me that hopes so very hard that the company will do something good with its power. The Walt Disney World Company had a net worth of over 200 billion US dollars in 2021, and I do not assume that has changed much in the last 4 months. The company makes money through theme park admissions, annual pass sales, merchandise sales, movie sales(box office and Disney+ memberships), and a plethora of other avenues. In short, they make a lot of money, and we can not know exactly what gets done with it all. As I said, I love the parks and have never looked into the company more than right now.
On March 22, in light of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, the Walt Disney World’s official Instagram account posted a mickey head colored with the pride flag and a short message that begins with Walt Disney’s famous words “To all who come to this happy place, welcome.” The post then tells how the company does not stand for discrimination of any form, their opposition to legislation that infringes on human rights, and their stance with LGBTQIA+ cast members, guests, crew members, and fans. Short, sweet, and to the point. But how much will the company actually do? They are making great strides than some by selling merchandise with pride flags and colors on them. But will they continue to support their cast members who are openly gay? Will they do anything when guests are harassed in the parks for holding their girlfriend's hand?