Supplementary Post: Researching Racism & Disney

I wanted to look more deeply into Disney and race before we began discussing it in class, so I searched up some articles that touch on this topic.

Disney's 10 Most Racist Movies

Reading through this list, we've already discussed most of the movies, but some of them (Lady and the Tramp?) surprised me.  I was also completely thrown off my the suggestion that Aladdin was made "whiter" at the end of Aladdin after he defeated Jafar—I'm not sure if that's true, but I'm going to keep a careful eye out next time I watch the movie.

Examining Racist Tropes in Disney Animated Film

This article breaks down racist depictions in Disney films into three categories: the savage, the orient, and the other.  It also touches on anthropomorphic racism, as Disney portrays certain non-human characters to be one race or another based on stereotype.

Disney Halts Sales of Moana Costumes After Racism Claims

Accusations of racism aren't limited to the movies, nor are they a thing of the past.  As recently as 2016, Disney was accused of racism by selling a kid's Maui Halloween costumes, which depicted the traditional style of Polynesian clothing with sacred tattoos.  Disney immediately apologized and removed the costume from its website, but it still sparked a lot of controversy.