My 11 year child has been asked to re write a Disney story of his choice but without the sexist/racist aspects. AIBU to write back..

[SecretsInSpitalfield]

That I will not have the teacher pushing her views on my child?

As far as he (and his younger DB) Disney has always been a POSITIVE thing! Fun films , cinema days and even a dream once in a lifetime trip to World Disney World.

I wouldn't have minded if they said 'do you think any Disney films are racist or sexist? If so, please elaborate why. But this has been set as if it's FACTUAL that they are and my child is just 11.

Please give me your honest opinions

Thank you 😊

And what happened with the character in the next movie? They took the piss out of her accent.

Equality
While not always praised for their ethnic diversity, Disney has made efforts to make sure their heroes and heroines are not always Caucasian, as in the case of The Jungle Book, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, Mulan and Pocahontas. As well in the animated Disney films, the heroes are both male and female, if not predominantly female. Females in later Disney films are smart, kind, witty and noble, such as in Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and giving a good interpretation of female empowerment to young girls.
Safety
Many Disney programs show children the importance of being safe and listening to your guardians. Though in a dream, Alice from Alice in Wonderland wanders off from her sister and becomes lost and stuck in Wonderland, only wishing to go home. Pinocchio leaves his father and becomes lost and kidnapped while Ariel from the Little Mermaid leaves the advice of her father and makes a deal with a dangerous witch, risking her life. Messages like this inform children to listen to advice given by their parents and to stay safe.
Environment Awareness
Though this may sometimes go over a child's head, Disney movies occasionally have a message at the end of the movie. Such was the case with the film Wall-E. Though the protagonist doesn't do more than blip, beep, and occasionally shout its own name or the name of his love interest Eve, the world around Wall-E shows the importance of helping the environment. The message at the end of the film gears children toward environmental awareness, planting trees and the risks of over-consumption as a person and as a society.
Being Yourself
The genie from Aladdin said it best while transformed into a bee and buzzing beside Aladdin's ear as Aladdin pretends to be a prince in front of Jasmine: "Just -bee- yourself." Many Disney movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King show children both the importance of being yourself and living up to your responsibilities, as well as knowing that people will like you for who you are, not who you pretend to be.
Happy Endings
While not always the case in life, Disney movies encourage children to believe and hope. Belief in happy endings and that people will do the right thing is important to child morality. Innocence and naivety is not something you will want your child to be rid of any time soon.

Of course we can still enjoy Disney, fairy tales and other classic books and films. It's part of our history and there are a lot of positives to it. It's just about applying a bit of critical thinking where needed and reinforcing our modern views on inclusivity and equality where needed.

@JasBBGG, I heard that Elsa from Frozen is meant to be gay. If you think about it and listen to "Let It Go" it makes sense.

My DD has loved fairy tales since she was very little, she actually just bought the original Grimm fairy tales book a pp mentioned, but she hated the Disney versions. No need to ban them. She liked plenty of other Disney movies

Critical thinking and enjoying Disney movies is possible...

Well, now that you've actually posted the text of the badly written conservative Christian opinion piece instead of just posting a link, I'm sure we're all convinced.

op Aren't you supposed to put your source?

oureverydaylife.com/disneys-positive-effects-children-8191660.html

I watched Wreck it Ralph when my son was in primary school. It's one of the few times that he really liked a female main character (Vanellope) I think it's no coincidence that the character is more like the girls that he knows in real life - plays computer games, funny, dresses in normal clothes, races cars...

"Probably been mentioned - but it was nice to watch Brave. A Disney Princess who didn't want to get married or be given away by her Dad."

I liked Brave too. The bar really is set pretty low with Disney though. I really enjoyed Frozen but I was amazed that so many clever adults had been raving about it being a great work of feminism. You have to start with really low expectations for "women don't need to marry some guy they've known five minutes because he's the first man to take an interest" to seem like a resounding statement of women's liberation. I still love Disney. I just don't watch it with my brain switched off.

@BeatriceTheBeast YES - Elsa was definitely on his list. Maybe she comes out in frozen 2 🤷‍♀️

nicky7654 and Basilandparsleyandmint
Are you comfortable with your children being bullied or discriminated against?

I haven't said anything personal to anyone. However a big handful of you have said some very nasty personal things to me.

But carry on believing in 'equality' while you be unkind. I have never resorted to name calling. Good night

The bar really is set pretty low with Disney though

True....

TBH - that's the same with many films from the past though.

Plus Mulan at least is a terrible example of diversity- many people.in China were quite rightly pretty offended by the western stereotypes of China and Chinese culture in that film.

Apparently they've taken a lot more care over the live action version so it should have a more genuine Chinese feel to it.

In Frozen Anna acted like the Disney stereotype and fell in love after 5 minutes...

OP, you asked if you were BU. Nearly everyone has said you are. Why ask if you don't want to listen?

Watch Disney by all means, I am sure there are lots of positive messages, but there are also some negative ones in some of the films, why do you not want your children to be able to analyse and think about what they watch? As PP have said, the teacher will only have picked Disney as every child has probably seen a few Disney films.

YABU to complain to the teacher, and YABVU to ask a question on AIBU when you are just planning to ignore the answers.

Oh, and how come the conversation always goes:

"You shouldn't ban Disney or Enid Blyton. They're an important part of history. You should explain to your kids that they're of their time rather than censoring things."

"OK, cool, great idea. We'll keep these things on the curriculum and encourage kids to think critically about which bits might be racist and sexist."

"Waaaaaaaah! The PC brigade are brainwashing our little darlings and ruining their innocence!"

Your son could write about a kind stepmother instead of a wicked/abusive one.

TBF - the teacher could have taken many children's films from the past and asked the class to analyse and rewrite them.

You could do the same with musicals, classic films, popular stories, newspaper headlines, well known fairy tales etc...

It's not just Disney that's guilty....(looking very much at you, James Bond)

I’d pick Pirates of the Caribbean and make it very very boring.

Your son could write about a kind stepmother instead of a wicked/abusive one

Or a friendly wolf? I feel for them. Always stereotyped.

@Baguetteaboutit what is a backlash film? Sorry if I'm being thick!

@JasBBGG, she definitely doesn't get a gf in frozen 2 sadly. Or so I read.

SecretsinSpitalfields at what age do you imagine a non white child loses their innocence and naivety about skin colour?

I haven't said anything personal to anyone

But this is personal. Racism and sexism hurts real people in real ways. Shutting your eyes to it because you don't think it affects you and making it all about your hurt feelings that someone would dare consider you racist is pretty much the definition of white privilege.

It's not right for people to call you horrible, but you are well overdue to take a look at your own assumptions and stop doubling down on a bad position. You have an opportunity here to learn and grow yourself, and all you have to do is say "Thanks for the challenge, I guess I was wrong".

Why not do the assignment with your son? Each of you can choose a film and evaluate it.