Aimee Walker
Disneyland is being slammed for including the Prince’s ‘non-consensual’ kiss in the Snow White ride.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is a 1937 film that was produced by Walt Disney Productions – it was the company’s first animated feature movie.
It’s based on the 1812 German fairytale by the Brothers Grimm.
The film follows a princess who lives with her wicked old stepmother, the Queen, who forces her to work as a scullery maid.
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Snow White runs to the forest after the Queen orders the Huntsman to try to kill her and she ends up befriending the woodland animals.
She then finds herself living with seven dwarves named Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey, who work in a nearby mine.
Following the movie’s success, tons of Snow White merchandise has been sold.
Plus, the film’s intellectual property has been franchised into a range of mediums, including a Broadway musical and theme park rides.
On July 17, 1955, the Snow White ride opened alongside Disneyland – it was titled Snow White and her Adventures, as per MiceChat.
During the pandemic, it was given a major upgrade and the plot of it was completely changed, much to many fans’ annoyance.
Previously, it followed the Princess’ journey with the Queen and now it follows her love story with Prince Ferdinand.
The ride, which is now titled Enchanted Wish, has been criticised for adding to the ‘movie’s biggest problem’.
Theme park reviewers Katie Dowd and Julie Tremaine have been venting about their frustrations over on SFGATE.
“Haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue?” they penned.
“That teaching kids that kissing, when it hasn’t been established if both parties are willing to engage, is not OK?
“It’s hard to understand why the Disneyland of 2021 would choose to add a scene with such old-fashioned ideas of what a man is allowed to do to a woman.”
However, not everyone agrees with this view on Twitter.
One person fumed: “The criticism of this scene in the ride is absurd. Also shows complete ignorance of the story of Snow White and fairytales in general.
“Snow White already knew he was her true love, otherwise, she wouldn’t have woken up.”
Another added: “Give me a break! Stop taking the classics that made us all wish for a happy ending, dreams, and possibilities of better! Who raised these whiney asses?”
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While some may believe the ride has taken a step backwards with its new directions, others are furious that censorship changes may be made to the much-loved fairytale.
Ladybird books are reportedly considering the problematic aspects of Snow White – and Cinderella – and using sensitivity readers.
The Telegraph reports that certain parts of the plot have been red-flagged, including the cliché of falling in love at first sight.
This is apparently problematic as child readers may be under the impression that good looks alone are the most desirable thing.
Reportedly, it is also a concern that the protagonists tend to be high-ranking aristocrats, so children will be under the impression that social ranking is also important.
Plus, ‘good’ characters are typically portrayed as young, while villains tend to be old – promoting ageism.
As well as changes being made to the ride and potentially the book, the live-action adaption is set to be released next year and people aren’t happy about it.
The movie, which will have Latino actress Rachel Zegler, 22, play Snow White in the live-action adaption, is making headlines as it’s taking a bold new take on the story.
It’s been reported that Disney will replace the seven dwarves with ‘magical creatures’ to ‘avoid enforcing stereotypes’.
While Zegler also says ‘it’s no longer 1937’ and the Princess won’t be saved by the Prince.
“We absolutely wrote a Snow White that is not gonna be saved by the Prince,” the West Side Story star said on a recent red carpet.
“She’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”
There has also been a backlash to the casting of Zegler, with people slamming her for not fitting the description of having ‘skin as white as snow’.
To this, Zegler said in a now-deleted tweet (via BuzzFeed): “Yes I am Snow White. No, I am not bleaching my skin for the role.
“DO YOU FEEL THE CONTROVERSY COMING????”
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