Disney+ adds content warnings to 'Peter Pan,' 'Dumbo' and more classic movies
"These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now."
Disney+ has a new way of keeping users informed on cultural insensitivities.
The streaming site has added content warnings before some of its classic movies. Films receiving the warning include "The Aristocats," "Dumbo," "Peter Pan," "Swiss Family Robinson," "Lady and the Tramp" and "Fantasia."
The message, which lasts on screen for about 10 seconds, reads, "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," it continues. "Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.”
Also included is a link to Disney.com/StoriesMatter with more information about the company's efforts to positively represent various identities as well as reasons why some of these notices were included.
When it comes to "The Aristocats," one cat "is depicted as a racist caricature of East Asian peoples with exaggerated stereotypical traits such as slanted eyes and buck teeth." In addition to this, the cat "sings in poorly accented English voiced by a white actor and plays the piano with chopsticks." The site explains that this "reinforces the 'perpetual foreigner' stereotype, while the film also features lyrics that mock the Chinese language and culture."
Reasons are not listed for every work that received the disclaimer nor is there a full list of works that received the warning.
The decision to add the disclaimer comes after HBO Max briefly took down "Gone With the Wind" over the summer only to restore it a few weeks later with an intro detailing the Oscar-winning film's historical context and its treatment of slavery.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."
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