Disney has updated its content warning for racism on classic films such as Peter Pan, Dumbo, and The Jungle Book.

Since last year, Disney+ users have been shown a message warning them about racial stereotypes featured within the movies. However, the entertainment company has now updated the wording to provide a much stronger message.

When attempting to play the movies on the streaming service, viewers will be flashed a messaged that reads: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," the warning says.

"These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now."

Explaining the decision to leave the movies on the platform rather than remove them, the message adds: "We want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together."

Credit: 1096

Sadly, despite many of these movies being firm childhood favorites for so many of us around the world, they do contain scenes and imagery that are stereotypical and racist.

In Dumbo (1941), the scene where the crows sing 'When I See an Elephant Fly' has been compared to mimicking Black minstrelsy - and lead singer of their group is literally named Jim Crow.

(The Jim Crow persona was a racist theater character by Thomas D. Rice, whose name was later used to describe a racial caste system that viewed black people as second class citizens.)

In Peter Pan (1953), a group of Native Americans perform a song called 'What Makes The Red Man Red?', and are frequently referred to by the racist slur "redskins".

[[imagecaption|| Walt Disney playing with a Lady and The Tramp teddy. Credit: PA Images]]

And in both Lady And The Tramp (1955) and The Aristocats (1970), Siamese cats are used to play off the cheap stereotype that East Asian people are sneaky and devious - as well as showing the felines in "yellow-face".

In the latter, a character by the name of Shun Gon (voiced by a white actor) plays the piano with chopsticks.

The original Disney+ disclaimer for the movies used to read: "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions."

In fact, Disney's new message much closely reflects the wording long used by Warner Bros. prior to airing some of their problematic cartoons from the past:

Despite the warning message being updated, it would appear as if Disney's 1946 live-action/animated musical Song Of The South will remain absent from the streaming service.

Disney has made no secrets about wanting to keep this movie firmly in the past, as it follows a black plantation worker called Uncle Remus, who enlightens a young boy named Johnny with tales about Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear.

The movie has never been released on VHS or DVD in the US, and Disney recently announced that it would be reimagining Splash Mountain - a theme park ride based on characters from the movie - to a Princess and the Frog theme.

Credit: 3933

Nevertheless, Disney's new message certainly opens up some important questions about racism in popular culture.

Should we forever banish these movies so fewer people can see the outdated and wrong portrayals of minorities, or should they be left as an educational reminder of stereotypes that "were wrong then and are wrong now"?

Disney has updated its content warning for racism on classic films such as Peter Pan, Dumbo, and The Jungle Book.

Since last year, Disney+ users have been shown a message warning them about racial stereotypes featured within the movies. However, the entertainment company has now updated the wording to provide a much stronger message.

When attempting to play the movies on the streaming service, viewers will be flashed a messaged that reads: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," the warning says.

"These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now."

Explaining the decision to leave the movies on the platform rather than remove them, the message adds: "We want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together."

Credit: 1096

Sadly, despite many of these movies being firm childhood favorites for so many of us around the world, they do contain scenes and imagery that are stereotypical and racist.

In Dumbo (1941), the scene where the crows sing 'When I See an Elephant Fly' has been compared to mimicking Black minstrelsy - and lead singer of their group is literally named Jim Crow.

(The Jim Crow persona was a racist theater character by Thomas D. Rice, whose name was later used to describe a racial caste system that viewed black people as second class citizens.)

In Peter Pan (1953), a group of Native Americans perform a song called 'What Makes The Red Man Red?', and are frequently referred to by the racist slur "redskins".

[[imagecaption|| Walt Disney playing with a Lady and The Tramp teddy. Credit: PA Images]]

And in both Lady And The Tramp (1955) and The Aristocats (1970), Siamese cats are used to play off the cheap stereotype that East Asian people are sneaky and devious - as well as showing the felines in "yellow-face".

In the latter, a character by the name of Shun Gon (voiced by a white actor) plays the piano with chopsticks.

The original Disney+ disclaimer for the movies used to read: "This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions."

In fact, Disney's new message much closely reflects the wording long used by Warner Bros. prior to airing some of their problematic cartoons from the past:

Despite the warning message being updated, it would appear as if Disney's 1946 live-action/animated musical Song Of The South will remain absent from the streaming service.

Disney has made no secrets about wanting to keep this movie firmly in the past, as it follows a black plantation worker called Uncle Remus, who enlightens a young boy named Johnny with tales about Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear.

The movie has never been released on VHS or DVD in the US, and Disney recently announced that it would be reimagining Splash Mountain - a theme park ride based on characters from the movie - to a Princess and the Frog theme.

Credit: 3933

Nevertheless, Disney's new message certainly opens up some important questions about racism in popular culture.

Should we forever banish these movies so fewer people can see the outdated and wrong portrayals of minorities, or should they be left as an educational reminder of stereotypes that "were wrong then and are wrong now"?