In their continued effort to promote diversity and inclusion, Disney has made select films unavailable on children’s Disney+ profiles due to negative cultural depictions, particularly racist stereotypes. The films are still available on standard Disney+ profiles with a content advisory warning directing viewers to www.disney.com/StoriesMatter.
The films now unavailable on children’s profiles are The Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson. The films have been moved to a 6+ rating and are not the only movies unavailable to children as PG-rated Disney films are also unavailable.
Below are Disney’s explanations for each film’s rating change.
The Aristocats
The cat is depicted as a racist caricature of East Asian peoples with exaggerated stereotypical traits such as slanted eyes and buck teeth. He sings in poorly accented English voiced by a white actor and plays the piano with chopsticks. This portrayal reinforces the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, while the film also features lyrics that mock the Chinese language and culture such as “Shanghai, Hong Kong, Egg Foo Young. Fortune cookie always wrong.”
Dumbo
The crows and musical number pay homage to racist minstrel shows, where white performers with blackened faces and tattered clothing imitated and ridiculed enslaved Africans on Southern plantations. The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. In “The Song of the Roustabouts,” faceless Black workers toil away to offensive lyrics like “When we get our pay, we throw our money all away.”
Peter Pan
The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as “redskins,” an offensive term. Peter and the Lost Boys engage in dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes, a form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples’ culture and imagery.
Swiss Family Robinson
The pirates who antagonize the Robinson family are portrayed as a stereotypical foreign menace. Many appear in “yellow face” or “brown face” and are costumed in an exaggerated and inaccurate manner with top knot hairstyles, queues, robes and overdone facial make-up and jewelry, reinforcing their barbarism and “otherness.” They speak in an indecipherable language, presenting a singular and racist representation of Asian and Middle Eastern peoples.
A Swiss Family Robinson remake is currently in the works for Disney+, as well as a live-action Peter Pan & Wendy, both of which we can expect to handle race much better than the original films. There has already been a live-action Dumbo remake which cut much of the problematic elements from the animated film.
Below is a Stories Matter video more about The Walt Disney Company’s current diversity efforts.
I doubt kids get the references the movies portrayed. Parents may have been offended for children. If they have any.
These are mostly white liberals taking offense for other people since white liberals love sticking their nose into other people’s business.
Things are getting a little more than silly.
Listen, I am as liberal as the come. But this has go to end. It happened and at the time it wasn’t a big deal. Yes, retrospectively it is a big deal. But it should/can be used as a learning tool. Is that the purpose of a Disney movie? To learn life lessons.
In my opinion these films, along with Song of the South, should be released with a host intro ala TCM discussing what is problematic with the films.
And if that isn’t good enough for everyone then have a parental password for some of these “hot topic” films and if your child wants to watch them, then you can choose to let them watch it and/or have a conversation about the film and why parts of it are wrong.
THANK YOU! I’ve been saying this about Song of the South forever – heck even Whoopie G has stated publicly she wishes they would release it to start a convo. The history of the Uncle Remus stories provide should not be lost to the world, and having a roundtable discussion regarding it and the film, and the performances in this film would be perfect on TCM. Disney is making it worse by trying to hide. Own it, teach it, let people learn, and move on – it won’t be taboo anymore
Leave it alone and enjoy it for the artful entertaining material that it is. We don’t need to be told how to interpret it. Just as we don’t need a label on coffee to tell us it is hot and not to place it between our legs. Oh wait never mind.
We have been dumbed down and this only fosters our not knowing how to think but rather being told what to think.
Sit back enjoy the movie and get a life – your own.
That’s exactly what they did. The films weren’t removed, just blocked from the child’s profile. You can still watch them under the adult’s profile and have the conversations with the kids about it.
Tell you what. Why don’t DIsney just remove every movie made prior to 2020 and suspend Disney+ until such time as they can put some new content on there that doesn’t offend the Cancel Culture crowd because I am sure that if they wanted to they could find something that offends them in every Disney movie (although probably wouldn’t offend the majority). The world has gone mad.
Amen
Oh thank goodness. It’s so good to know Disney is taking care of this for our children’s own good so they can’t be damaged by these horribly offensive movies they produce decades ago. And thank goodness the parents don’t have to go through the trouble of worrying about such a thing. 🙄
Lol
So stupid. How about instead of censoring it, which is part of the doctrine of several tyrannical political parties of Europe’s history, you actually, you know, learn from it? You can’t learn from something that doesn’t exist. Also, the Native Americans have actually said they’re honored to be called redskins, way back when the debate about the NFL team first began.
Unbelievable. How much more “woke” can Disney get and much more can they de-value Disney plus?!?! I’m glad I cancelled my subscription. They take away classics like these, degrading the value of the service for families, all for the sake of woke-ness and political correctness. Shameful.
Um, who’s “taking away classics”? Those movies are still on Disney Plus in their original uncensored form. I’m wondering if someone took away your ability to read.
Bob, my point is that it is not up to Disney to decide what my children should see or not see – that is MY job as the parent. It is simply Disney’s job to entertain us, not play “woke” parent. Perhaps it was your inability to read my post.
Um, yeah … You’re the one who wrote that Disney is planning to “take away classics like these.” I didn’t imagine that or read it incorrectly. Parents are still able to continue deciding what their children should and shouldn’t see, even with the new changes being implemented. That hasn’t changed. You can let your kids have access to the “adult profile” in your Disney Plus account. Disney is not making that decision for us; it’s a decision that is still very much in our hands. Since you canceled your subscription, it’s not even an issue that affects you directly, so are you just taking it upon yourself to complain on behalf of other parents, as if they need you to speak for them?
I know it feels good to use melodramatic language when venting, but let’s keep things grounded in reality and not mired in “alternative facts.” Those of us who are parents with uncanceled Disney Plus subscriptions will continue to enjoy uncensored Disney classics like Dumbo, and some of us will have discussions with our kids about certain characters so we avoid the possibility of a future call from schoolteachers asking why our child was adopting a “Stepin Fetchit” voice and referring to himself as Jim Crow in class. Other parents will do their own thing. You stick to your guns and do you. Keep venting on sites like this if you must. I vent occasionally myself and often feel better afterward, but I don’t waste my time on non-issues like this.
Absolutely
I’ve noticed most people can’t seem to read here! It can only be a good thing that we are acknowledging that racial stereotyping is wrong but we can still watch these classics with that in mind. Jeesh, some ppl eh?!
Walt would be rolling in his grave.
Yes he is!!!
Kill me now
Ok.
So sad we’re going down this road to appease the “woke” cancel culture rather than appreciating (and learning from) historical art for what it is based upon when it was produced. I guess we better start burning books and anything else produced before 2020 for fear it may offend someone,,,
That will probably happen next!
As we speak, Classic books , while not being burned, are being removed from public and school libraries across our beautiful USA. The two latest are
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
AND
To Kill a Mockingbird
So, if these classic books are removed, our kids can’t read about the adventure of Huck and his friend Tom Sawyer. Does this mean Disney will reimagine Tom Sawyer’s Island?
This is just absolutely stupid and ridiculous. I am so over hearing and seeing all this stupid bullshit – people need to take their head out of the asses and stop crying like a bunch of whiny babies.
Rarely do I approve of profanity. But , in this case, here here! Agree 100 percent complete.
💯 agree
100% agree
I swear Disney doesn’t understand their own work sometimes. The crows are an example of irony. They take previously derogatory depictions and even names and use them in a positive manner. They actually help Dumbo. I believe they were mostly voiced by Black actors too.
So, how many warning labels will it take to get Song of the South on Disney+?
As if Song of the South is THAT bad?! I remember humming the tunes as a little girl. Has nothing to do with systemic racism at all. “Wake” the fudge up, Disney. Nobody cares about you policing content.
Since I don’t have Disney stock, I rather don’t care.
This is an example of totalitarian “wokeness”. I suppose as a Northern European with Scots/Irish ancestry I should consider any reference to being stingy as an ethnic slur. Or rather like the Monty Python skit with the Blamanche that rigged Wimbelton because as we all know Scots can’t play tennis; this should give me great offense.
I rather think it is just a false flag from various factions within our Power Elite who think they can throw some sops to the masses and all the while offshore and cheat on their taxes as much as possible.
Complete act of misdirection. The world does not need the magical nonsense of Disney.
There seem to be a lot of people commenting who don’t understand that these movies are still available on Disney+, they just can’t be watched by little kids without permission from their parents. Nothing has been censored, nothing has been cancelled. They’re just making sure that anyone who watches understands that some of the content that was considered appropriate at the time the movies were made is now viewed through a different lens – just giving everyone some context. It’s a great way to still offer these films while ensuring that children understand some of the things in them are no longer seen as harmless.
We understand and can read the problem is my kids shouldn’t “need” my permission to watch Peter Pan or the aristocrats or Dumbo…..my God everything offends somebody…..all that’s happening is more of a divide is drawn because we go to much to the other extreme because someone’s feelings are hurt……ridiculous
If they don’t need permission to watch, then give them access to the Adult Profile and let them choose whatever they wanna watch on Disney Plus. It’s a Disney-produced channel, after all, so what could possible offend or traumatize them? It’s all up to you now. Go forward and live your life, unencumbered and free of content restraints.
Being that it’s Disney+ they might already be…..its the point that if there were to be restricted content needing approval it shouldn’t come from a classic beloved “cartoon”…..
Did you hear that? Thomas’ children don’t need his permission to watch movies. I’ll send them a copy of “Birth of a Nation”, so they can learn to be even more racist.
No problem me and my white privileged family will watch it together…….the point is most people have morals, know right from wrong, do the right thing, treat people how they would want to be treated and most likely nothing from an amusement park ride or classic kids movie is forming those beliefs ……you can’t change the past or history…..implement change going foward no problem but let’s not try to fix every little thing that someone takes offense too…..especially when it was never meant to be dipicted in that fashion……
Right on Thomas!
Thomas, other people’s feelings matter. The only divide being created by giving a damn about hurting others is the one between people with empathy and those without. And there are plenty of people commenting here about censorship and these movies being “cancelled”, so maybe don’t speak for everyone.
Perhaps children shouldn’t have been watching then without their parents to begin with??
I’m totally watching my DVD of Song of the South in honor of this absolutely nonsense!
I totally agree!!
Me too!
If Disney is going to do this, they need to also take out the popular show Phineas and Ferb also, because the main character Candace’s best friend, Stacy and her little sister, are both Japanese descent and are drawn with slanted eyes, whereas Candace the white girl is drawn with perfectly round eyes. Stacy also has parents who pressure her into becoming a doctor, which is stereotypical of Asian parents to do. Furthermore, Candance’s round eyes are round as a ball, which should offend all white people because no white people have eyes as round as a quarter, it’s ridiculous. Another offensive show is Bunk’d, in which an Asian girl studies super hard, and when her friend told her to take it easy a bit, she said if she let up, she would disappoint her mother, who would then die, and does her friend want her mother to die??? Which totally depicts the stereotypical Asian parent being excessively pushy on their children’s academics. Another offensive show would be Andi Mack, starring an Asian actress who has short hair and looks almost like a boy instead of a Disney princess. Every other Disney show main female character has long flowing hair, such Jessie, Candace, Bree, Mabel, Star, KC, even Avery, who is a studious and jumpy nerd. Why is Andi the only unattractive one with stereotypical Asian short hair? And most importantly, Disney has to consider the bad influence of the award winning show Gravity Falls, where Gruncle Stan taught the kids: “When the cops aren’t around, everything’s legal!” Or how about the time he had the kids print fake money and they ended up in jail? Or the time he shoplifted lightbulbs and got away with it? Or the time he showed his gun at the bus driver to force the driver to accept the kids’ pet on the bus?
Old movies shows be “grandpa-ed in” and not subject to new standards. Only new shows should be subject to new standards. Because you never know, in 50 years the new shows might be considered offensive for other reasons that we don’t know about right now.
So are they going to remodel the Peter Pan ride into something else?
I wouldn’t be surprised! I think Disney has gone crazy!
Having thought about this a bit more, I have a recommendation. Disney should provide their rationale for this decision. For children < 7 it is rather difficult to explain adult concepts. At times it is difficult to explained nuance views to adults. In this sense I can appreciate the desire to have children raised in an environment where biases are not learned at an early age. We say that children are impressionable. They are. Humans are complex biologic machines and our cognition though a wonder is still not well understood. I should imagine there is a fair amount of cognitive science that has fed into this decision. If so, that should be explained. There are after all mirror neurons. Best not to simply pose as the “new belief” and instead recognize that humans are diverse but also very much alike. I find this sort of behavior easily lending to people’s fears of thought police and other abuses of power. Thought police have indeed existed in human history. All that is necessary is to read about Germany and Japan in the 1930s and up to the end of the cataclysmic conflict that began in 1939.
I think that “Tarzan” isn’t appropriate for kids, and the classification is 0+ age it’s crazy, when his parents die and when the villain die is the worst scene on the Disney movies
I loved the song We Are Siamese, growing up. Never once thought anything of it, regarding race or racism. It was just a fun scene about cats.
This is going way too far. Disney is overcorrecting.
The song “We are Siamese” is from Lady and the Tramp.
Grow up!!!! Liberals will be the death of everything. I will proudly put these movies on for my grandchildren to watch and if they want to draw their own conclusions….good for them. I am sick to death of this nonsense.
Thankfully, you still can. Disney Plus did not make that impossible with this move.
Cancel Culture is killing our country.
SHAME on Disney for trying to project a false narrative about classic movies. No child of 6,7,8 years old knows what the PC police at Disney is talking about- these movies are not racist. They have to be seen and understood in the cultural context in which they were made several decades ago. Dumbo is racists? No, Dumbo is about a character that is different than the other elephants. The movie shows that you can be different and be successful based on your abilities, not on your appearance (think “judged by the content of his character, and not the color of his skin- MLK”).
Y’all need to get over yourselves and leave the choice of viewing materials to the parents. We don’t need YOU to decide what our children watch or don’t watch, based on your political views and attitudes.
Please explain how Disney is deciding what your children watch or don’t watch. I would really love to hear why you think that.
Piratebay, here we come!
I hope the Disney censors never get access to the Sistine Chapel!
This is a joke. No one sees these movies as racist except the racist people who are destroying them
Is it not wonderful to be lectured on morality by a company in business with the Chinese slave holders?
What a joke, Disney are crazy, I’ll never pay Disney for anything as long as they keep this crazy radical mentality.
Just stupid.
Waiting for them to cancel Disney for being antisemitic.
Shame on Disney for bowing to a minority of lunatics that will ruin what the majority of us have loved all of our lives. They would tell us what to think rather than thinking for ourselves. America is being down the path of stupidity and Disney is in the parade.
It seems ridiculous that they are censoring such classics as animated Disney, Dr. Seuss books, etc.… But yet they allow EXPLICIT music and pornographic music the videos run amok !!! If they really cared about our children’s welfare and our society, then the left liberal would be censoring that… But I guess that isn’t politically correct! Such ridiculous hypocrites!
Is Disney Plus going to remove Pinocchio, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Norte Dame from Kids profiles.
To wdwnt, question for you. Is Disney Plus going to remove Pinocchio, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Norte Dame from Kids profile pages? And will those films get warning labels?
The reason I ask you is because in Pinocchio 1940 film it features child abuse and slavery which is too disturbing for kids to watch in todays society as there’s actually child slavery at the borders of Mexico with kids in cages which I was shocked to learn about.
Also in Pocahontas 1995 film is considered one of the most racist films, which depicts racism and discriminations against Native Americans being called Savages including a song about savages which is derogatory towards Native Americans. Because in real life Native Americans were mistreated and driven out of their homes.
Also in The Hunchback of Norte Dame 1996 depicts Quasimodo who has disabilities with a deformed body being made fun of and getting jeered and tortured by the crowd which scene made me upset. And Frollo stalking and harassing Esmeralda made me uncomfortable to watch.
Also in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Rocketeer features Nazis who put millions of people in concertation camps in real life.
Are these Disney films I’ve mentioned going to be removed from kids profiles and will they have warning labels about these films like Pocahontas which admits that it was wrong what was shown in these films. Let me know if Disney Plus will add warning labels to further Disney animated films because they aren’t kid friendly.