Disney labels fan favorite characters as “potentially problematic” in a new report

Disney recently took a deeper look into some of their characters and labeled a few fan favorites as “potentially problematic.” Do you agree with Disney’s findings, or do you think this is going to far?

Keep moving forward

Disney is known to be not afraid to make big changes in response to the ever changing world we live in.

Just look at the big changes coming to Splash Mountain, for example. Eventually, Br’er Rabbit will be movin’ along, and Princess Tiana will be moving in when Splash Mountain is completely reimagined to a Princess and the Frog themed attraction.

And then there are always the small changes being made, like shackles being removed from Pirates of the Caribbean and even removing names from Tom Sawyer Island.

There have even been removal of films and episodes from several offerings on Disney+, after Disney decided these films depicted outdated cultural depictions. But how much change is too much for Disney?

“Potentially problematic” Disney characters

While going through its library of content for films and shows to put on its streaming service, Disney has labeled a few of its fan favorite characters as “potentially problematic,” according to a report from the New York Times.

Disney’s “Stories Matter” team was responsible for looking at Disney+ content and flagging potentially problematic characters. The team looked to see if any additional films could require disclaimers on Disney+ for perpetuating negative stereotypes.

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.

Stories Matter Team, to New York Times

Tinker Bell

Tinker Bell, from the classic 1953 Disney animated movie Peter Pan, has now been reportedly labeled “problematic.” The team found that this version of Tinker Bell was flagged as a concern because she is “body conscious” and is jealous of Peter Pan’s attention towards Wendy in the film.

Captain Hook

From the same film, the Stories Matter team also flagged the popular villain of the story, Captain Hook.

Captain Hook, named for the hook in place of where his hand should be, was reportedly flagged due the potential of exposing Disney to accusations of prejudice against disabled individuals because of his villainous nature.

Ursula

Ursula, the villain in Disney’s 1989 animated classic, “The Little Mermaid,” has also been labeled as potentially problematic. The team was reportedly concerned with Ursula because of her purple skin and dark complexion, and would expose them to accusations of critics who would see the character as an outdated racist depiction.

Additionally, the team shared Ursula could come across as “queer-coded,” since she has mannerisms reportedly inspired in part by those of a “real life drag queen.”

Do you agree with the findings that Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, and Ursula are potentially problematic? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or tell us on Facebook.