Disney+ has added trigger warnings over “racist” and “offensive” content to a big chunk of its classic films, including “Peter Pan,” “Dumbo,” “Fantasia,” and “Lady and the Tramp.”
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures,” reads the warning, which appears on audience screens for ten seconds after you select a film for viewing on the streaming platform. “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. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.”
Disney previously had a warning which read “this program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.” That has been replaced by the wordier warning above. The warnings also contain a link to “Stories Matter,” featuring a short video pushing the concept of “diverse storytelling,” which maintains that only “diverse” writer rooms, characters, and stories are worthy of depiction.
I can sleep now.