Credit: Disney / Inside the Magic
Disney cancel culture is everywhere, from its ties to Alice in Wonderland to issues with racist depictions of characters. A new wave of attention focuses on Walt Disney’s adaptations of problematic books.
Viewers Demand Change: Disney, Seuss, Dahl, and White
What originated as a discussion of stereotypes in media snowballed. Disney cancel culture now incorporated negative depictions of various races in things like the Muppet Show and Star Wars. Social media helps spread the stories. Many Disney fans agree with the changes. Many don’t.
Dr. Seuss Cancel Culture
Everything from “And to Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street” to “If I Ran The Zoo” includes a racist caricature (or several). These harmful depictions make it into cartoons and films.
This can cause potential issues for the youth watching them. From The Cat in the Hat to other classics, these kids’ shows leave an impact and influence the future of culture.
E.B. White Cancel Culture
Charlotte’s Web is a concern for many because it shows talking animals. It was actually banned as an “insult to God” in Kansas. It was part of a ‘pigs-be-gone’ movement to supposedly support Muslim students.
Yet it also shows the other side of cancel culture in media: the power of government control and the diversity of interpretation of what should and should not be canceled.
Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll
This particular book, “Alice in Wonderland” was always a point of contest (and it came out in 1900). First, it was banned in a Chinese province due to animals talking. Then, due to a ‘self-satisfied caterpillar’ and its masturbation references, it was pulled off US shelves. Because the movie is a Walt Disney classic, it falls under the Disney cancel culture victims category.
Roald Dahl Cancel Culture
It comes down to the issues related to African-American relations, the depiction of Pygmies, and the slavery related to cocoa beans. This effectively throws the Johnny Depp classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory under the bus.
This is mainly for depictions of labor without consent. It also shamed gluttony in children. Paired with the allegations of mistreatment of Dahl’s child, it brought cancel culture to the forefront for Disney.
Cancel Culture Meant to Prevent Potential Harmful Impact
The whole purpose of going “woke” is to avoid issues related to racism, the prevalence of stereotypes, and outdated cultural depictions. Walt Disney World cancel culture, such as the Splash Mountain changes and Tianas Bayou Adventure shows in Disney Parks.
Cancel culture also shows in the choices the Walt Disney Company makes when representing classics such as Peter Pan, making Disney movies like The Little Mermaid, and depictions of Native Peoples in its content, such as Pocahontas or Dr. Seuss adaptations.
Change is a certainty, and Disney’s cancel culture is part of it. What’s your take?
