Disney's Black Princess.....sweet mother....leave us alone!!!

oy....another frustrated response to some frustrating discourse about the even more frustrating idea of DIsney creating an African(-American) princess.....you've got to read it to believe it....just "google" disney black princess and see what shows up....but this entry is (copied in full) from the following page:

http://joannejacobs.com/2009/04/27/second-guessing-disneys-black-princess/

At this moment, the response is up for moderation, so might not even show up if people's sensibilities get a little snipped....too bad.

I was non-plussed by the responses.....please go and see, but don't stay long....


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" No, an inter-racial couple isn't racist, but it is in the tradition of racism that many African people in solitary/tokenized situations are not matched with those of their own heritage.  Breaking up the African family was a program of slavery in this country and it took media form by showing few if any solid African family units.  The Evans family in TV's "Good Times" was one of the few up until later years into the 90's when the largely de-culturized African family showed up.  Point of reference....look up the challenges of Eric Lasalle as Benton in "ER" and his critiques of the writers and producers in putting him in repeated, but troubled relationships with African women, but his only sustainable one was with a European woman (British).

And the voodoo connection does not demonize a character, but the portrayal can demonize voodoo.  Voodoo, or better Vodou/Vodun, is a powerful African spiritual system that is practiced in many forms in many places by many people.  Our USAmerican relationship to voodoo is one of comedy/tragedy, people largely ignorant of what and how it is, so when we hear of it, we assume it must be a negative connection.  Standard christian policies demonize vodou and many other indigenous traditions, spiritual or otherwise.

In addition, the Disney attempts to portray anything but weak, dependent women is almost non-existent.  They are at least a constant disappointment to anyone who cares about education, clarity and cultural justice.  Much of what Disney does is oppressive and shallow, sexist and racist all at once.  I think they are better off leaving African people, Asians, Native Americans, merpeople, women and animals out of their stories altogether.  Let them talk about what they know: narrow-minded, self-absorbed European, middle-aged men whose worldviews are as wide as the princesses' barely-there waistlines and as deep as the one-dimensional characters they are used to creating.

"as long as she's pretty"? "stay cute, make money"?!?  You've got to be kidding!!"

Unluckily....I don't think they were kidding.  

Oy.