In the past few years, Disney has begun making serious overhauls to its theme parks and films in an effort to be more inclusive. And the majority of fans couldn't be happier.
But there is still a very loud minority that appears hesitant about the changes. They see this as an attack on their childhood when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.
When it was announced that Splash Mountain was being remodeled after The Princess and the Frog — people lost their minds.
But what many fail to realize is that Splash Mountain is based on characters from the film Song of the South — a rather reprehensible Disney film that romanticizes slavery in America.
The original line was "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, dreamers of all ages." It now reads "Welcome, dreamers of all ages."
Gender neutrality is becoming more and more prevalent in society, so it's only natural that Disney would look to emulate this trend.
There's no such thing as casual racism or harmless prejudice.
Much like how various states across the U.S. removed the statues of former slave-owners like John C. Calhoun from public display, so too is Disney looking to eradicate the racist relics of their past.
Notice that it's not the children crying and complaining — it's the adults. But just because Disney is changing doesn't mean that your childhood is somehow invalidated.
This is simply the new paradigm, one that stands staunchly opposed to all forms of bigotry, hate, and exclusion — even the cartoon kind that attempts to obscure itself behind a cute pair of ears and bright red shorts.
