The company that brought you the “happiest place on Earth” is worse than you thought

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

We’ve all enjoyed a Disney movie or two. How could we not? They own everything from Star Wars to Marvel to Pixar, and cornered the market on fairytale princesses. Disney is everywhere, and that’s the problem.

The company has faced numerous controversies since its founding in 1923 by Walt and his brother Roy O. Disney. Allegations of perpetuating harmful stereotypes, sexism and even plagiarism have plagued the company for decades. Most recently, the actions of the company’s CEO, Bob Chapek, in the case of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act has thrown the company into further scandal.

The bill, dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents, was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on March 28. If it remains unchallenged until July 1, it will ban elementary classrooms from having discussions about LGBTQ+ issues and gender expression.

Disney World dominates Florida’s economy by bringing in billions per year in tourism, so the corporation’s political power is unmatched in the state. With this in mind, supporters of the Disney Company expected to hear a denouncement of the bill when it passed in the Florida Senate on March 8. Disney was vocal about making strides in producing more diverse entertainment, so surely they would disapprove of this seemingly anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

Yet the company made no public response, and only passed internal memos to shareholders informing them of the situation. That was, at least, until public outcry forced their hand. On March 11, Chapek released a statement apologizing for their silence, saying he and the company now understood the detrimental effects the bill could have, and that they were “pausing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review.”

Disney so far has kept up with that promise. However, their existing contributions to the Florida GOP this quarter, totaling $125,000, remain as a glaring reminder that Chapek and the Disney Company seem to only adhere to progressive values when they’re forced to.

Similarly, in 2020, the same year they released such works as “Out” — a short film about a boy coming out to his parents — individuals within Disney donated $10,500,030 to the America First Action super PAC, which backed the Donald Trump campaign in the election. While the company made donations to Democratic campaigns as well, the amount was far less substantial.

The fact that Disney higher ups were funding these Republican campaigns and interest groups at all is telling of where the company really stands. While they are slowly introducing diverse characters in their shows and movies, they support politicians who intend to limit how LGBTQ+ people are represented in real life.

It’s important to remain informed of the decisions the Disney Company makes. They play a bigger role in our lives than many realize. Their political contributions alone can greatly affect who we see on the ballot, and their power in Florida, a prominent battleground state, cannot be ignored.

That being said, you are not a bad person if you watch Disney movies. What the multi-billion dollar corporation does with their money isn’t your fault. They have a monopoly on entertainment, and we as consumers should not be faulted for existing in the system they created.

The Western Howl

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Review: “Turning Red”

“Turning Red”: The starting point of representation for this generation’s teenagers

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

This review contains spoilers.

“We’ve all got an inner beast. We’ve all got a messy, loud, weird part of ourselves hidden away. And a lot of us never let it out.”

It seems that Disney and Pixar have a knack for calling out the faults present in modern parenting methods. While I liked the film, I honestly would not have watched it if it hadn’t been for the trending topics caused by the film’s release.

For those unfamiliar with the premise of the movie, it follows the story of Meilin Lee — who is referred to as Mei throughout most of the film — a thirteen year old girl at the onset of her teenage years. Unbeknownst to Mei for the first few minutes of the film, she is the descendant of a gifted — or cursed — lineage, which instantly transforms her into a fluffy red panda.

Ever since its release, the film has sparked controversy among viewers for issues related to “taboo” topics. What I have to say is: f–k them.

The film hits audiences in the feels, like most Pixar films do. It is a heartwarming and relatable story that discusses the importance of menstrual cycles in a hilarious, yet educational way. It also makes a suggestive joke on “gyrating,” or what I would call, “twerking.” While others might see all this as inappropriate, I just see it as the real representation of teenagers and their quirks.

My favorite aspect of the film was the conflict Mei found herself in while choosing between her friend group, who seemed to understand her for who she really was, and her mother, who all but dumped her own dreams and expectations onto her. I loved the idea that this soft red panda represented the wild and carefree side of Mei and how her splitting away from the red panda meant she was separating from an integral part of who she was.

Also, don’t get me started on Mei’s mother. On occasions, I thought her mother was incredibly selfish. However, as the film delved further into the storyline, I slowly grew to like her. Perhaps mothers and grandparents can have the best intent in mind but go about it in selfish ways.

Like all films, “Turning Red” has its fair share of dislikable elements. I was slightly put off with the stereotypes present within the film, such as that all girls only think about boys or that menstruation is deemed critical to reaching womanhood. There’s also the small fact that Mei’s friends criticize her for seemingly being a “goody two-shoes,” which only adds to the plight of the already negative connotation attached to the term.

But who cares? In the end, “Turning Red” is a film soon-to-be and existing teenagers should watch. I know that if I were a teenager, I would have appreciated such a film to help me laugh on the ups and downs of adolescence. Rating: 8.5/10.

The Western Howl

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Disney’s Affinity War

Discussing the controversy of Disney’s casting

Sean Martinez | Copy Editor

Now, I’m going to go on record and say that the most complicated relationship in my life is with Disney. As problematic as it can be at times, I still greatly appreciate the things I gain from it — namely Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar — but I also acknowledge that they have an unhealthy obsession with trying to make it to the top of the box office every year.

Coincidentally, this obsession landed the company in hot water.

Before Disney released 2020’s “Mulan” exclusively on Disney+ in early September, Disney fans attempted to boycott the film. The problem didn’t have anything to do with the fact that Disney launched a more accurate rendition of the story, or the fact there was an Asian female lead character. Rather, the problem had to do with the actress cast as Mulan, Liu Yifei, and her stance on what’s been happening in Hong Kong.

In June of 2019, residents of Hong Kong protested for pro-democracy when Hong Kong attempted to pass a law that would extradite residents of Hong Kong to China. However, things took a turn when the police retaliated. The situation has gotten so violent that protesters had to use umbrellas to shield themselves from tear gas and other chemical weapons.

In response to the police force’s actions, Liu Yifei shared a controversial post on Sina Weibo, a Chinese blog, that read, “I also support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now.”

Perhaps what’s most upsetting about this situation is that Disney finally cast a Chinese American woman to star in a groundbreaking film, but some believe the actress they chose does not represent Asian people in a positive light.

Sadly, this is not the only casting problem in 2020; another example is the casting of Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano in “The Mandalorian.”

Again I reiterate: the issue does not concern the fact that Dawson has a mixed diverse ethnic background — it’s about her beliefs.

In 2019, a lawsuit was filed against the Dawson family when they verbally and physically assaulted a transgender man named Dedrick Finley. Instead of facing consequences for her actions, she’s being rewarded by playing one of the most iconic and strong female characters in Star Wars.

I’m sure there are countless more controversial casting decisions that I’m not yet aware of, but regardless, the message remains the same. Disney needs to prioritize casting accurate portrayals of their characters over the amount of money they wish to make. Casting someone who fits the character’s ethnic background isn’t enough. The problem with Yifei and Dawson is that they have no affinity to their respective characters. Mulan would not condone police brutality in her country, and Ahsoka would not assault someone just because they’re transgender.

My intention with this piece is not to persuade anyone to not watch these films. Like I said before, I’m a huge Disney fan, and I’m still going to enjoy watching whatever content they produce; it is because I’m passionate about the characters and stories that Disney has created that I want them to strive to do better and succeed, without a cynical penny being spent.

If Disney can let go of their obsession, and shine a brighter spotlight on characters they’ve misrepresented in the past, they could win back the respect from fans that have left. With a new generation watching these movies, young audiences will have proper role models teaching them valuable life lessons.

Contact the author at smartinez17@wou.edu

The Western Howl

The Disney Company’s recent controversy

The Western Howl

Review: “Turning Red”

The Western Howl

Disney’s Affinity War

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