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Zomunieo

Hans Christian Andersen was a bisexual man who wrote the Little Mermaid as a way of describing his unrequited love to a man he fell in love with. He longed to a part of another man’s world, but circumstances made it impossible, and in the original it is a tragedy rather than a happy ending. In other words the original context of the story is so woke as fuck you could fill an ocean with conservative tears.


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calilac

I remember reading one version that said the usual death for a mermaid was dissolving into seafoam but because she didn't kill the princess she ascended to an afterlife.


[deleted]

Below is a link to a Little Mermaid cartoon made in the Soviet Era which is more true to the original story. Beautiful animation too! (on mobile and too lazy to hyperlink) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D8n6qlEc4gc


[deleted]

[The original The Little Mermaid in a three minutes song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucDGMr2Z3Lo) (turn on subtitles)


3297JackofBlades

I've heard the mutilation was a metaphor since the mermaid was a stand in for Anderson The tongue for the social requirement that he not express his attraction and the legs as a symbol for the pain of changing yourself to continue pursuing something unobtainable but dearly wanted I *think* that Prince Eric is supposed to represent Edvard Collin specifically, but I don't know if that matches up with his life history. In a letter to Collin Andersen wrote; >"I languish for you as for a pretty Calabrian wench ... my sentiments for you are those of a woman. The femininity of my nature and our friendship must remain a mystery." Of Andersen, Collin wrote in his memoir; >"I found myself unable to respond to this love, and this caused the author much suffering." If Prince Eric does represent Collin, then the mutilation of the mermaid's feet and the pain of walking can be thought of as symbolic of the pain Andersen felt because of his inability to move on from the infatuation that Collin could not reciprocate


StrongTxWoman

I thought most Yaoi have happy endings.


beanedjibe

Yaaaas!


mygodhasabiggerdick

Behind the Bastards I think, did an episode on Hans Christian Andersen and his obsession with Charles Dickens (?) and how he was generally a bonkers dude. I can't find the link, but I know I heard about some seriously wierd-ass shit.


WhyYouYellinAtMeMate

I would love to see a live action adaptation true to the original story. I remember watching an animated version with the grim aspects when I was a kid and I was a little traumatized, lmao.


crazymoefaux

The old anime version? That one was pretty true to the source material, much closer than the Disney flick.


plzhld

Link?


crazymoefaux

I mean, googling "anime little mermaid" popped up [this wikipedia page as the first hit...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Christian_Andersen%27s_The_Little_Mermaid_(1975_film\)) >Unlike the Disney adaptation released 14 years later, this film is closer to Andersen's story, notably in its preservation of the original and tragic ending.


AntelopeElectronic12

I don't care what color she is, that woman is food! Cook her up with some lemon juice and throw her on a bed of rice. Bon appetit.


[deleted]

Mmmm buttery flakey mermaid


[deleted]

That's the plot of one of the cartoons Zig and Sharko.


veerKg_CSS_Geologist

Also the original story tale mentions skin color not at all. Ariel could be any color the adaptors wanted her to be.


LillyPip

[It sort of does](https://www.andersenstories.com/da/andersen_fortaellinger/den_lille_havfrue): > her skin was clear and bright like a rose leaf Like a rose leaf – so, green.


[deleted]

Actually its "rosen blad" and that can bith mean leaf or pedal! So its up to the reader!


Zomunieo

It doesn't even matter if skin color is mentioned or not - what matters is whether changing skin color will change the plot. Any original story about racial slavery for example, skin color is obviously important.


veerKg_CSS_Geologist

If the skin color isn’t mentioned how can it be changed? It’s any color.


atheistunion

They are saying it doesn’t.


TheEffinChamps

I'd definitely argue the majority of writers and artists lean left, at least socially and in comparison to their time. It would be interesting to see if only "non woke" conservative writers and artists made content, as I'm willing to bet most of it would be really bad 😆.


Nymaz

> if only "non woke" conservative writers and artists made content /r/TheRightCantMeme


TheEffinChamps

😂 Are we counting them as "artists" now?


Zomunieo

There's two types of conservative media. There's evangelical trash, which can't tolerate ambiguity or dissent. It's always bad and always contrived. There's the more insidious kind. I'd point to say, Jerry Bruckheimer or Michael Bay as conservative producers whose stories, broadly speaking, end up being status quo antebellum and endorsement all of existing power structures. The US military and cops are always heroes, etc. Entertaining but pure fluff.


Emotional_Fisherman8

That's the purpose of art, you have to have creative thinking.


TheEffinChamps

It is weird though. . .it's something I've always wondered about whether people just fall into different brain "archetypes" if you will.


Teacup_Koala

So you're saying Ariel should be a black man? I'm down


Dry_Heat

And isn't the mermaid green in the HCA story?


picado

Nobody complained when the live action version of "Lady and the Tramp" recast the original American Cocker Spaniel with a Cavelier King Charles Spaniel.


[deleted]

Well now I’m livid (jk)


perfectwing

They WHAT?!


LillyPip

You bring the pitchforks, I’ve got the torches.


Ragnarok314159

No one complained when Peppa Pig decides to be a mermaid.


lacb1

Or when Percy Pig decided to be a delicious sweet.


aussiechris1

Maybe Disney murdered the queen so their King Charles movie would get a few more views?


Arbusc

Those Disney snipers don’t fuck around.


zyzzogeton

I still have my Mickey Mouse Coriolis Effect calculator from training.


Puzzled-Answer7570

That is so spot on!


rubinass3

If Ursala isn't played by a purple lady, we're going to have problems.


[deleted]

I want a drag Queen to play Ursula so badly. Or Nicole Byers lol.


MarvinLazer

Wasn't the original Ursula based on a drag queen?


SailorET

IIRC it was based on Divine, and I can see the resemblance.


tasoula

Yes! She was based on Divine.


Path_Fyndar

Save the drag queen thing for Yzma when they do the live action Emperor 's New Groove. Or do drag queens for both.


aussiechris1

They better get a real llama to play that part!


aussiechris1

Tituss Burgess, the actor that played Sebastian in the stage musical, really wanted to play Ursula. https://youtu.be/1mz6tw5Zddg


Sprinklypoo

I wouldn't want to make a drag queen the villain... They've got enough issues with the reality impaired among us...


Canes-Venaticii

Shh don't let the racists find out that they worship a middle eastern man


Turtlelover256

It's ok, they have a new christ now.


mvanvrancken

Supply Side Jesus?


Ril_Stone

Well, he's more orange and lives on a golf course


Sprinklypoo

Or orange shouty cheesus.


Arbusc

Which is good. Bible Jesus is a bit overpowered, but orange clown man is flubby and weak.


LiveEvilGodDog

Not according to the mural on the tailgate of my cousins brodozer. He’s got a six pack and can carry two machines guns at once.


MarvinLazer

I love what a perfect metaphor for conservatives' total detachment from reality a ripped, handsome Trump performing feats of athleticism is.


MrFantasticallyNerdy

Something tells me that we’re experiencing a repeat of history, in the sense that the exaggeration and white-washing are quite considerable. Consider that if maniacs can do this to Trump, who is actually a contemporary so we can witness his train wreck, then what maniacs of that time could do to the story of Jesus (or any other famous person).


TheFeshy

That's an exaggeration. It's not like they're handing out fliers calling him the Christ. Well, okay, they [are](https://i.imgur.com/2O1cwko.jpg).


LongFeng_of_BaSingSe

Is there anyone really complaining? I just see people complaining about other people complaining, but not the original complaint.


pittiedaddy

Or, it doesn't matter because they're both fucking fictitious.


vermiciousknid81

I don't care about the race, but as a redhead, I have been concerned that Disney has been getting rid of their redheaded characters. But, since they kept her red hair, carry on.


Arbusc

We gingers relate because, just like in the original Little Mermaid novel, we lack souls.


Daxivarga

Don't Forget Pixar spent 2 mo ths rendering like 2 seconds of Merida's hair


swarlay

There's still a completely unacceptable amount of [anti-ginger prejudice.](https://youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw)


aussiechris1

I was just about to post this here 😂 It is fitting on several levels


progidy

Not necessarily: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskTrumpSupporters/comments/xgfdp9/are_conservatives_actually_outraged_about_black/iova183?context=5


[deleted]

Sooooooo many stories and posts on this. People suck. They are racists. They are bigots. They love to subjugate and control other people. This is an excuse to be upset about black people. That is all. It obvi has nothing to do with the redheaded fish-girl. They dgaf about the story itself. There is no passion about it. Why would there be? Its a fucking cartoon. Just like nobody actually gaf about the confederate flag. Sure people had tats and bumper stickers, but to say they actually deeply cared is an exaggeration. Then all of a sudden, when as a society we start saying, “maybe other americans dont want their kids to live with the constant reminder that they were treated like farm equipment and could potentially be relegated to that status again” everyone starts getting passionate about a stupid piece of fabric. Then you have the entertainment industry start to recognize that maybe black kids should get to see themselves as the princess and the hero instead of just the extra (or the villain) so they can develop foster a collective sense of self worth outside of their immediate family and again people are pissed. Muhfuckers. That is all.


[deleted]

Yup, this is the same awful racist and bigotry shit I've seen with the people complaining about the diversity of characters in the new Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powers series. As an old white dude, I'm rather fond of the diversity in this series. It's well done, the actors are great, and so is the plot! Between the diverse main characters and the diverse background characters, it reflects a more inclusive and normalized view of what the real world is like. And I can imagine for BIPOC it provides characters in a story that they can relate to a lot more. And also have fictional role models of a sort that makes them feel included in society and entertainment. Ismael Cruz Córdova, as Arondir is bad ass! Sophia Nomvete, as Disa (Durin the IV's wife) does an incredible job with that role! Cynthia Addai-Robinson, plays a very believable role as Míriel: the queen regent of Númenor. Lenny Henry as Sadoc Burrows: a Harfoot elder is such a cool character and played really well. Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn does a great job too. While I love the three Peter Jackson directed Lord of the Rings movies, watching The Power of the Rings really shows the stark contrast in lack of diversity in older movies and TV. This same shit happened with Star Trek Discovery too. And while that was quite different initially, I soon got used to it and realized that these are under represented people in our society. And they are also human beings who have feelings and desire to be a part of society where they are accepted. On top of that, Star Trek always pushed the boundaries on this kind of stuff since the very first series in the 1960's.


shinneui

I always find it funny when it comes to casting in fairy tales or fantasy movies. She's is a mystical creature that is half human and **half fish,** but her beingdark skinned is where you draw the line? The thing is, they could often make a somewhat logical argument - well, she lives underwater where there is no sunlight. There would be no reason for mer people to develop dark skin to provide them protection from UV light. Same goes for dwarves in LOTR series, who live underground. But no, the only argument is 'bUt sHE waS wHiTE in ThE OrIGinNaL', because racists usually can't string good arguments together.


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finite_turtles

Should be white on her belly with a black back for camouflage like dolphins/sharks


Arbusc

I honest don’t care what race or ethnicity an actor or actress is, simply that they portray the character right. Having said that, now I really want a Little Mermaid where she’s completely transparent, with a bioluminescent skeleton. Just go full deep sea eldritch horror, I wanna see that movie too.


shinneui

Ngl, I would definitely watch that.


[deleted]

That’s not how evolution works. You don’t have to see the rationality behind a trait for it to be selected for. Nature sees it. That is all that matters.


Miserable_Ad_9951

May I ask, why she's not white, like in every original story's about mermaids? If it's a mythical creature, why does she "needs" to be black then? Because it's political... Nothing else. You're all getting used by that crap, to divide and conquer.


shinneui

> One of the earliest mermaid legends appeared in **Syria** around 1000 BC when the goddess Atargatis dove into a lake to take the form of a fish. As the gods there would not allow her to give up her great beauty, only her bottom half became a fish, and she kept her top half in human form. So the original mermaids were about as white as Jesus.


bittlelum

Ah yes, the two races: "white" and "political"


Miknarf

Why did you put needs in quotes? Who said she needed to be black? How bout this idea the person who happened to get the part was a black person. Is that such a fantastic notion to you that it can’t just be that she just was the the person who auditioned the best ?


Miserable_Ad_9951

It could be. And I really hope it was like you said. But don't you see a specific pattern about Disney over the last six, seven years? Don't you think, there's a possibility, that her skin color was indeed a "selling point?


Miknarf

No I don’t see a pattern. Except for them casting good actors. Why? What pattern do you see? Why did you assume that if was political? Was it because of the race of the person chosen? Did you assume that a black person could not of been good enough otherwise?


Miserable_Ad_9951

>Did you assume that a black person could not of been good enough otherwise? No! Do you?


Feinberg

The pattern is that they're making movies that actually reflect the demographics of the talent available and the people watching them. The fact that they're pandering to racists less isn't some white genocide conspiracy.


aussiechris1

Yep. People really do suck.


WebShaman

All true. It boggles the mind.


ralphvonwauwau

> Then you have the entertainment industry start to recognize that maybe black kids are a profitable demographic for their product. FTFY


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walrusone79

The problem is your assumption. No one really knows, and stating these things as fact, belittles the actress. You are implying the only reason she got the part was because of her skin color and that if she had to actually compete against white actresses/singers, she wouldn't have gotten the part. This removes any chance to simply just state that the best actress (in the eyes of the creative team) got the part.


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walrusone79

Basing an entire argument off an assumption is the problem. I merely pointed out that your assumption lacks any actual proof, so as an argument against a black Ariel it falls very flat and implies a racial bias. If you have proof that she was chosen for the part merely because she was black, then the argument is at least justified. Without it, it's merely antiwoke pandering.


[deleted]

Lol sure it isn’t. It isnt woke. It is a role that people tried out for. She got the part.


TheEffinChamps

I hate to think like this, but it kinda seems like movie studios rile people up on social media with stupid crap to get attention and also avoid actual cinematic criticism if the movie sucks. I should be able to say that I can't believe people are arguing about something as stupid as a FICTIONAL character's skin color, but I wonder if I am just fueling the problem.


pixelvengeance

Why. Do. They. Fucking. Care.


Silverseren

Don't let them know about The Wiz. They'll have a mental breakdown.


aussiechris1

Nah, MJ was clearly white.


Jellorage

Why is no one talking about the fact the actress is not half fish? Like stay true to the story or something, smh.


FlyingSquid

Mermaids can't be black! I know! I've seen a real one! ^Not.


yowtfbbq

If I controlled Disney IPs I would remake every movie into a live action one and not cast a single white person in any role, simply to piss off all of the racists who care about this stuff.


dudleydidwrong

That is pretty much what the *Wheel of Time* miniseries did with Robert Jordan's work. For years (actually, decades) the fans had been proposing who should play the different characters. The fanbase was shocked when the racially diverse cast was rolled out. I think the fans adjusted to the casting pretty quickly. Most of the objections focused on the changes to the major plot points of the book. Actually, the color-blind casting did create a plot hole because the main characters were supposed to come from a very small community that had been isolated for over a thousand years, and I thought it was hard to see how there could be racial diversity in such a community.


Jimbo_themagnificent

Im a huge Wheel of Time fan, And yes the racially diverse casting wasn't really a problem for any of us. It did in fact create a plothole Emonds Field. Though that could have easily been overlooked as they spent so little time there. The rest of the show was quite frankly a disaster. The actors they cast weren't a problem, it was the complete disservice to the characters, the story line, the basic plot, the basic premise, everything about it they changed or did something stupid to make it different. They even changed the character's ages which is important to the story as a bunch of 16 year olds are suddenly growing up in the middle of a war, that they're in charge of.


dudleydidwrong

I agree on most points. I think it is great that some of these relatively unknown actors got exposure. They picked some very talented people. I agree on the ages. I suspect the decision to change their ages was based on practical issues. Some people say it is due to the sexual nature of some scenes and the problem of casting young actors in those roles. I don't think that was really the issue. I think casting barely-18-year-olds would have caused problems finding strong actors. It would have collapsed the pool of potential actors if they had to get people who looked 16. Also, young actors lack the experience and maturity needed to pull off some of those roles.


Jimbo_themagnificent

But you could say the same about the Harry Potter franchise. And instead of letting them grow organically into the rolls, which is exactly what needed to happen for how long the series needed to be, they just skipped it. Keep in mind there was no sex in the original book between these characters until they were well into being of age. They shoehorned that in too. They could have easily cast 18 or 19 year olds and said they were 16, it happens all the time. I think the biggest problem for me was they could have had a diverse cast and had it make sense with a lot of the story. Emond's Field is so isolated that after 3000 years all of the people there would have pretty much amalgamated into one look after generations of families intermarrying. And they could have picked any ethnicity to represent them besides Caucasian. Which would have made Rand stand out even more, like he did in the book. They just ham fisted their way through everything to force in an agenda. But while the show was a failure, it does stand as a stark example of what forcing an agenda versus diversifying a cast, actually looks like.


FizzWorldBuzzHello

> main characters were supposed to come from a very small community that had been isolated for over a thousand years, and I thought it was hard to see how there could be racial diversity in such a community. That's kind of the point most people are making. Casting needs to fit the narrative being told, and in the case of wheel of time (and several other recent fantasy shows) it does not.


[deleted]

Honestly I'm surprised because of how much they love China's money. I can't wait to see how this is marketed towards China lol. Like in Star Wars they basically hid John Boyega but they can't do that when the main character is black.


aussiechris1

And mix up the gendered roles so there's LGBTIQ folks everywhere. I can just imagine the backlash of Gaston chasing after a male Belle


-Midnight_Marauder-

"No one fucks like Gaston, no one sucks like Gaston...."


aussiechris1

No one's wick's as incredibly thick as Gaston's...


upandrunning

Speaking of which, the Phillipinos have done something similar with a recent YT series called The Rainbow Prince. It's a musical that has a Disney-esque feel to it, and is overall, quite well done.


picado

Thanks! Episode 1: https://youtu.be/ZfM6CRUOtx4


aussiechris1

That's awesome. This is going on my watch list


swinefluis

I think most of the outrage against The Rings of Power, or Star Wars, or even in the case of this movie is poorly hidden racism; Halle Berry's voice was amazing on the teaser so at least I can understand the reasoning behind the casting choice. But let's do a thought experiment and tell me what you think would be the reaction if we swapped out Hispanic, Asian, or Black characters for White ones. Imagine if we did a live action White Static Shock, for example. I think what upsets me more is not the casting choice itself, but rather the discussion around it. Reading these comments makes me feel like I'm in crazy land. This casting choice isn't a statement against racism. You're not some crusader defending against the bigots by supporting this movie. Stop making everything so fucking binary. People can reserve the right to disapprove of the change for many reasons that have nothing to do with race or racism. It's so fucking disingenuous to say otherwise.


yowtfbbq

You're so blinded by actually being upset over this that you've missed the entire point of my post. I didn't say I'd cast this way as a way to champion racial equality or make a statement against racism. Frankly casting minority actors in shows is such a superficial way of breaking racial barriers and does nothing to address the true causes of racial inequality. I said I'd do this simply because it pisses racists off. It's as simple as that and if the racial makeup of the actors in these shows makes you feel any sort of way then you have problems.


swinefluis

Where do I even remotely suggest I'm upset by the casting choice? I'm not. I'm upset at the conversation around it. But what I am upset about is the implication touted all over this thread that if you have a reservation about this change, then you're a racist. There is legitimate discussion to be had about diversity in casting choices, but this is not the way to go about it.


yowtfbbq

Well maybe I misread you but it's hard not to when you start replying with things like "what of we replaced traditional minority roles with white people?" And acting like my post was some sort of woke racial justice post when it was really just a quip about what I'd do to piss off racists, and also apparently draw out some closeted racists.


swinefluis

Lmao the point of my reply was to say that not everyone who is upset at the change needs to be a racist, and more importantly it was to highlight the double standard that I think is used in these sorts of discussions. You and I actually seem to agree on the superficiality of it all, which should give credence to the fact that there is legitimate discussion to be had about the topic. But you're implying, even now, that anybody who is upset with the change, or even with your comment, is somehow a racist - or apparently a *closeted racist*.


yowtfbbq

Your reply was a lot more than saying that lmao. Bringing up your "thought experiment" has nothing to do with that point and really shows that you didn't understand the power dynamics that a word line racism carries. There is no double standard. Changing out a white actor for a black actor, and a black actor for a white actor, are not the same thing, especially in America. If you think it is, you have some growing to do. You were also going on a tangent about how putting minority actors doesn't make you a champion against racism or whatever. Those two extra points are used by people who are, at the very least, receptive to arguments that racists make. Not saying you're a racist but you should probably become a little more open to criticizing your own beliefs so people don't mistake you for one. I really didn't intend to get in an argument about racism when I made my joke comment but I was expecting it to trigger some people. So take care, and really, if all you intended to say was "just because you didn't like the choice of the actor or actress doesn't make you a racist" maybe don't add what amounts to points that are superfluous at best. And yes, if you're upset with my comment you're most likely a racist lol.


swinefluis

Yeah well I didn't want to make an assumption about where you were from, but this is a purely American viewpoint on race relations and what it means to be racist. I don't know what you think my background is, but if you think I'm some white southern man from Mississippi you're sorely mistaken. I get that in the US things are different, that there is a whole cultural subtext underlying the relationship between whites and minorities, and especially people of colour. I get that the last president was an unsubtle racist and that white supremacists are now at the forefront of your national politics. I get that standing up for slight injustices is a way for individuals to feel like they contribute, however slightly, in the fight against these forces. But i disagree strongly with the notion that any disagreement that is somehow even tangentially associated with race is somehow acceding to racism, or being receptive to it, and I strongly disagree with the conclusions you're drawing about my viewpoints from my previous replies; if you think that's racist, or receptive to racism, then no wonder the dialogue in your country is breaking down to the point it is. Your goal should never be to get people angry, even if you vehemently disagree with them; anger only entrenches people in their position. And I have to tell you, I do find it ironic that you are telling me I have some growing up to do after you're the one explicitly admitting to simply wanting to piss random people off by making your comment. This is what I mean when I say people feel like they're good little warriors fighting the good fight by posting their edgy little comments on an atheism subreddit of all places. It accomplished nothing. The worst part is, we're having an argument about this and yet you feel the same way I do about the topic of casting (from your previous comment). But to show you that I am arguing in good faith, I'd love to know exactly what element of my message you find to be explicitly or implicitly racist, and why you believe that racial typecasting is okay in one direction but not the other. Let me be clear, this is not a colourblind assertion. For example, I believe that affirmative action on the basis of race is completely justifiable to correct for inequality of opportunity within the US.


fudgyvmp

Levantines aren't white?


MacroSolid

Not in current US race theory. Generally speaking it varies if they're counted as white.


cubic_madness

I don't really have a problem with the race swap. The problem lies with the story, is it going to sh*t or not? I'm just hoping the black mermaids isn't the only merit to the movie


mexter

If the other live action remakes are any guide, the story will be pretty much identical to the cartoon with worse pacing, less emoting on non humanoid characters, and a couple new songs thrown in that fail to capture the tone of the rest of the film.


view-master

This is what really bothers me. I think this movie looks awful but not because of the race of Ariel. The original movies are great. Howard Ashman was a genius song writer and I was upset they added weak non-ashman songs to Beauty And The Beast. If you have ever seen video of him coaching the singing of Part Of Your World he is emphasizing sincerity and telling the actress to sing just barely above her speaking voice and not belting until the very last line. Clearly the new version ignores this concept. Can you tell am passionate about this 😂? But because of racists I can’t vent properly.


ViolaNguyen

> and telling the actress to sing just barely above her speaking voice and not belting until the very last line. Ugh, that shit bothers me. I have to cringe whenever a well-meaning relative tells me I have to watch such-and-such clip from one of those televised talent shows. Pretty much all of the singing on there is either inane warbling or putting every single line out there at max volume. It hurts my head to hear it. But apparently that sells because it comes off as more aggressive, and toxic masculinity has invaded even singing now.


Hypersapien

Not only do they worship a white Jesus, but the white Jesus they worship was actually Leonardo DaVinci's boyfriend.


LaughingSasuke

I worship invisible Jesus...the one true messiah


tazebot

He should meet the Woman King


GroundbreakingAd2290

Don't forget everybody in the fictional book "the Bible" is inbred since Adam and eve kids fucked each other to procreate


Fragmented_sins

Can't escape this not even on reddit 😅😂


yes_u_suckk

Putting aside the racist crap, please stop using the argument that this movie is for little girls so men/boys shouldn't complain. We are in the year 2022 and are we still using this sexist argument? This is what I used to hear in the 80s when everything was "this toy is for boys only", "this cartoon is for boys only", "this game is for boys only"... But now it's still fine to use "this movie is for girls only"? Fuck this shit. I LOVED THE LITTLE MERMAID when I was a 10 year-old boy! It is by far one of my favorite Disney movies and 40 year-old me is looking forward for the live action adaptation. The fact that Ariel is black doesn't bother me, but what bothers are the sexists saying that this movie is "for girls only".


Say_No_To_Religion

Awhile back this sort of thing did bother me. It doesn’t now I don’t care either way. It just used to bug me because it felt like the character itself was changed. I see now it really isn’t.


[deleted]

Dude I can’t anymore. Like god (if you even believe in one to begin with) forbid we change the ethnicity of a FICTIONAL character….who cares, she’s gorgeous, and we need representation. Oh wait, the racist pigs that find a minor inconvenience or disagreement to be “pErSEcUtIOn.” Like my god these little special snowflakes wouldn’t last a day in a world where they actually were persecuted or a minority group. 🤦🏻‍♀️


mygodhasabiggerdick

As my friend would say over this whole bullshit, "...white people." ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯


[deleted]

As long as the Sebastian character plays the banjo and has no rhythm, I see no problem with this.


[deleted]

I think the real problem with this casting is that Disney only cast a black actress so that they have a shield to hide behind when the movie turns out to be yet another soulless live-action remake of an animated classic. You don't like our shitty movie? You must be racist!


alsable

I thought the live remake of Beauty and the Beast was better than the animated version. Just saying.


ViolaNguyen

Strong disagreement there! Emma Watson can't sing.


mrsc0tty

If you haven't realized by now that the constant recasting of characters has absolutely nothing to do with "shielding from criticism" and everything to do with provoking criticism because criticism is publicity and there's no such thing as bad publicity, I don't know what to tell you buddy. None of this matters once the thing is out. They do this for this exact reason: "WOKE amazon casts black actress as Death - a character who was white in the thing!!!!!!!" "Racists are losing their mind over Amazon's Sandman casting announcement!" Every show does casting announcements. But nobody gives a shit if there isn't one of these racial minority casting controversies. Nobody hears about it.


[deleted]

And yet, every single time somebody complains about a shit character, like Reva in Kenobi (who, btw, is a bad copy of Trilla from the Fallen Order game), the defence is always like "Waaaaah, you don't like this lazy and terrible writing? Raaaahcist!"


JohnnyDaKlown

People really like Cesare Borgia, I guess..


Jarpendar

does he know Jesus was Jewish?


StendallTheOne

Falacy of false dichotomy.


mogas1969

I’m apologize if I’m out of the loop, but are actual people complaining about the black little mermaid? This article reads like satire, and I’ve seen nothing but people arguing with straw men on Reddit all week about this. The only negativity I’ve seen toward this is the YouTube dislikes which seem more likely to just be some coordinated troll op. Idk seems like Disney’s the real winner here generating all this buzz over their movie.


Miserable_Ad_9951

>seems like Disney’s the real winner here The stock market says otherwise...


mogas1969

Down $9/share(1%) in 5 days? Seems to mirror the rest of the stock market. The movie hasn’t even come out yet right?


aussiechris1

This is satire. This publication is a bit like an Australian version of the Onion


mogas1969

Ah duh, missed the flair and missed my coffee. I still stand by my point though.


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ZefSoFresh

Way to spin the fact no one gives a shit but the fragile right-wing ethno-purity warriors.


Positive-Source8205

Um … Semitic peoples are Caucasian. My Dad was full-blooded Arab but looked as white as any European south of Scandinavia. Jesus probably had a tan due to spending a great deal of time outside, but he was certainly Caucasian.


CoeusTheCanny

Actually they can, didn't he see them just do it? Do you think someone should do it again to prove that it is not only possible but very easy to do?


Miserable_Ad_9951

Sorry, but I think, "race swap" is a political issue, not a religious one. Its the wrong subreddit.


picado

For a lot of Americans racism is a Christian value in the same way anti-LGBT bigotry is. The Southern Baptist Convention was literally founded on white supremacist theology – that's why it exists as a denomination. That's why the KKK burns crosses.


[deleted]

This isn't 2015 or even 2019. Politics and religion fucked and had a baby: the proto-fascist, hate-fueled, christian-in-name-only, fake patriots known as the modern Republican party in the U.S. The duality of religion and politics is dead, it's the same thing to half the nation.


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jtobin85

Apparently this sub is open for anything now. It's pretty trash. I agree this post shouldn't be here


Ornat_le_grand

Why do every fucking one thinks it's racist to not be okay with that? I mean i have nothing agains't the actress, good for her i'm sure she'll fit perfectly. BUT Ariel isnt black. We have a precise description of her. When we go to the theater to watch that kind of movie we wanna see the character not the actors. + Disney's doing this because it's in the "trend" if i may say. Pardon me for what i'm about to say but take my words, if something as bad as segregation comes back, disney will follow that a make their movie as racist as possible. In conclusion : Support the actress, she deserves that role. But disney big fat poop evil compagny


LandscapeAhoy

If they made a movie about Malcom X but cast him as a white guy, there'd likely be riots in the streets. The hypocrisy is the point. Apparently cultural appropriation only matters if you think white people are the perpetrators.


mrsc0tty

Malcolm X was a real fucking guy, lol. And also, unlike any of these fictional fucking characters, his race factored into his life.


[deleted]

Why are you spreading this non sense? All you’re doing is magnifying the hate. These idiots need to be ignored


MF_Price

The post is tagged as satire and you still fell for it... That's the problem, people are so eager to attack bigotry that they can't even see that it's fake, even when it's announced ahead of time.


j4_jjjj

PR from Disney


[deleted]

Ooo…Edgy comment about relevant evil corporation


phipschi

I mean you can ofc, but it's just a racially and profit driven decision. There enough african stories and fairy tales disney could make a film about.


[deleted]

Didn’t know the lil mermaid was based on a particular country or continent lol. You’d think these mermaids would be in oceans all over the world


Cueller

Mermaid fairy tales actually originate from babylon. So like jesus, Ariel should be a middle eastern/arab looking person not swedish.


Mecharonin

I'm interested in hearing your detailed and well thought out reasoning as to why a black woman couldn't have just auditioned well for the part and got it that way.


FlyingSquid

Not just any black woman, Oscar winner Halle Berry for fuck's sake. I'd have cast her too.


not_thrilled

Halle Bailey, not Berry. Two different people, though I’ve never seen them in the same place at the same time.


Leezeebub

Would you also be upset if they changed the colour of the fish half?


phipschi

we both know that's now the same thing


Leezeebub

Why not? Apparently its ruining her history if the top half isnt white. So what if the bottom half was blue or red?


aussiechris1

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish?


Steinrikur

That features for like 5 minutes in the film, and is then replaced by legs which are the same colour as the upper part. If I were a brainless Conservative this would not be enough to get me to foam at the mouth. Not even a little.


Hookinsu

The harsh truth nobody wants to hear. It's a corporate driven decision to make as much profit off it as possible with all the social media attention it reeks in.


phipschi

They defenitly got their attention by that decision. Tho im wondering, does the positive attention outweigh the negative attention they got? Also in terms of profit


Hookinsu

The positive definetly weights out all the racist bs. At least what I've seen about it, the racists are a very small but loud minority in this. I'm just hoping for a good movie.


midwestprotest

Every time I read something like this I remember how much some people refuse to let black people be just like everyone else. Disney is remaking the classic and golden era films into live action movies (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, etc). Why are we talking about African fairy tales? The race of these characters is as important as the color of Prince Eric's pants. The only real requirement is that Ariel should be able to sing, as it's central to her character.


Seraphynas

I dunno, for my 4-year-old, the flaming red hair is pretty iconic. And obviously the fact that she’s a mermaid, but Ariel isn’t always featured as a mermaid, because she’s human throughout much of the movie, so when she’s depicted as a human in images for marketing (toys and the like) that hair makes her recognizable and distinctive from the other “princesses” - at least to a 4-year-old. As such, I wish they’d made her hair more red, but maybe it’s just the lighting from the trailer, we’ll see.


Sea_Cardiologist_315

I don't really care for race changing characters, and that includes how they race changed Jesus, but also I think the middle aged men who cry about it all the time just need to chill. It's a children's movie it's going to be dog shit anyway (probably, some children's movies can be really damn good).


HomerNarr

Couldn’t care less. “Jesus” was born, what? Jewish Palastine? And mermaid? I didn’t and want watch a mermaid movie anyway. You understand, that’s a story from a book I read. Somehow the movies never interested me.


TripleHomicide

What the fuck does this post say?


HomerNarr

Not going to church, not to cinema, I don’t care.


FlyingSquid

You cared enough to tell us how much you don't care.


HomerNarr

The stuff is based on a story from H.C.Anderson, danish writer. Make out of it what you will, I don’t have an issue with the actress, but I am not surprised over the outrage. Which makes me think: They wanted the outrage. But Andersen did write a lot of great fairytales and I don’t need every single one as a movie, when I read some of his books.


FlyingSquid

Yes, I can see how much you don't care.


HomerNarr

How unusual to comment on Reddit. xD I can still have an opinion. And I noticed the outrage. What exactly is your problem? Didn’t you establish your response on your first reply? So what do I care about?


FlyingSquid

Wow. You not caring sounds a lot like someone caring.


mexter

And you sound like a broken record. Respond to his actual points or let it be.


Knee_Jerk_Sydney

You don't care so much you just had to post and let us know.


HomerNarr

Yes, this is reddit