Disney says beloved characters Tinker Bell and Captain Hook from its 1953 classic animated film "Peter Pan" are "potentially problematic" as possible sterotypes.
According to The New York Times, Disney concluded that Tinker Bell and Captain Hook are perpetuating negative stereotypes and placed both on its internal list of characters who could require a disclaimer on the Disney+ streaming service.
Tinker Bell was flagged as problematic because she is "body-conscious" and jealous of the attention Wendy receives from Peter Pan, the Times reported, while Captain Hook could cause some people to accuse Disney of discrimination or prejudice against disabled people because he is a villain with a prosthetic hook.
Before launching its streaming platform Disney+ in 2019, company executives assembled a team called "Stories Matter," which was tasked with going through Disney’s film library and identifying characters who were concerning.
"Stories shape how we see ourselves and everyone around us," the Stories Matter team says on its website. "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."
"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 team continued.
Before a Disney film with allegedly problematic content is played, the following advisory will appear on the screen: "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. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe."
Other characters and films Disney has found fault with during its internal review include Ursula from "The Little Mermaid," and characters in "Dumbo" and "The Aristocats."
According to the Times, Disney execs said that Ursula’s dark colors could be seen as racist and that she is a "queer-coded character," with her mannerisms partially inspired by a real-life drag queen.
The Stories Matter team also perceived a crow murder in "Dumbo" as an "homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations."
And in "The Aristocats," a cat with slanted eyes and buck teeth who plays the piano with chopsticks was termed "a racist caricature of East Asian peoples," by the Disney team.
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