Since Disney Plus started last November, Experts have criticized the soft language used in its disclaimer For older titles like Dumbo from 1941, this film warned "possibly out of date cultural representations".
Almost a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of minority organizations, a new disclaimer was added recognizing the "harmful effects" of racial stereotypes in some of its older films.
"As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, we are currently reviewing our library and adding advice on content that contains negative depictions or abuse of people or cultures," states a page on the Disney website entitled "Stories Matter ". "Instead of removing this content, we see an opportunity to have conversation and open a dialogue about history that affects us all." The page contains a section that explains in more detail the negative representations in certain titles.
The new disclaimer will appear before the start of films like Aladdin, The Aristocats, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, the Swiss Robinson Family and The Three Caballeros. It is reading:
"This program contains negative portrayals and / or abuse of people or cultures. Those stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Instead of removing this content, we want to recognize its harmful effects, learn from it and encourage conversation in order to create a broader future together.
"Disney is committed to creating stories with inspiring and ambitious themes that reflect the rich diversity of human experience around the globe."
Here is the old Dumbo disclaimer:
After May Police kill George Floyd, a black man, have media companies like Sky and HBO Max attached to prejudice or content or warnings racist material in their baking catalogs like Gone with the Wind.
In June, Disney said it would retheme Disneylands Splash Mountain, based on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, instead of the 1946 southern plantation film Song of the South.
However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers.
""Disney could have used stronger languageJessica Balanzategui, a film and television lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, told CNET to CNET in June. This would encourage a more proactive conversation about the context of these cartoons.
"These shouldn't be seen by children alone," said Daryl Sparkes, professor of media studies and production at the University of Southern Queensland, told CNET, "because children are like little sponges and soak up attitudes, feelings and opinions." ""
