Haha I'm just drunk at a bar and not that mad, but I've got to express my frustration with an insult so outrageous to get my point across
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Disney pulls Maui costume
- Thread starter Alienfan
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Haha I'm just drunk at a bar and not that mad, but I've got to express my frustration with an insult so outrageous to get my point across
Gentleman Jack
Member
I dunno, let's take an ethnic poll of the folks angry that the costume got pulled.
BronsonLee
Member
I'M FROM BUENOS AIRES AND I SAY KILL EM ALL
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
Most of the movie features voice work from Pacific islanders. Nearly the whole damn movie. Catching flak from a handful of people doesn't validate their opinion when their opinion is faulty from the onset.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
If saying that maybe we shouldn't appropriate another group of people and make basically their culture our own through a costume that dresses you up as a brown person then maybe I am an asshole. Or an SJW. Or a person who's thinks it's not okay. If you have to insult me, then you lost. You made zero argument as to why it's ok besides deflecting the word racist.
Edit: You're drunk. Makes sense.
Idk how you can post this with a straight face as a Trump supporter
Mental Atrophy
Banned
But they're not dressing up to be a Polynesian. They're not wearing the costume to say, "Look at how Polynesian I am, isn't that amusing?" They're dressing up to be Maui. There's a difference.
IsntChrisL
Member
I'm far from a Disney apologist, they're guilty of a lot of shitty things. But I've noticed that every time they try to do anything outside of the cookie-cutter white princess films they're known for, it's like the whole world is coming to an end. And it's almost always coming from the people that criticized the lack of a certain culture in the first place (offendable people). They are screwed no matter what.
This isn't the first problem they've had with this movie. They got shit earlier this year because The Rock's character was too fat and obviously there were no fat Polynesians back then. Now they've made the mistake of creating a costume for their kids movie. The wild idea that kids would want to pretend to be a character from this year's movie seemed smart but this gamble sure seems to have backfired on them.
Nobody can force you not to be offended by something but they also don't have to agree with your reasoning every time you choke out the words "cultural appropriation." Disney should just create movies about genderless, colorless shapes floating around it space. There doesn't seem to be a rage crowd for that scene yet.
This isn't the first problem they've had with this movie. They got shit earlier this year because The Rock's character was too fat and obviously there were no fat Polynesians back then. Now they've made the mistake of creating a costume for their kids movie. The wild idea that kids would want to pretend to be a character from this year's movie seemed smart but this gamble sure seems to have backfired on them.
Nobody can force you not to be offended by something but they also don't have to agree with your reasoning every time you choke out the words "cultural appropriation." Disney should just create movies about genderless, colorless shapes floating around it space. There doesn't seem to be a rage crowd for that scene yet.
NCR Redslayer
NeoGAF's Vegeta
This does not matter.
Whom_Gods_Annoy
Banned
Ultimately I agree with you. The only real thing I take issue with is that, as others have mentioned, this kind of mentality will basically assure that Disney sticks to selling only costumes for their snow white princesses and children of other races will never be able to have a costume for a character of their own ethnicity.
I'd have to do a google search, but has Disney ever made other costumes with skin as part of them?
Dsyndrome
Member
Awesome, let's bring political leanings and shaming into every thread!
But that's the point: this is not appropriating culture otherwise you'd have to argue that the character itself is appropriation or problematic in the first place. I don't particularly care about the costume being ok, I'm merely putting up counterpoints to something that doesn't make sense to me. I've no problems with people raising legitimate concerns about costumes, but there's nothing about the costume itself that is concerning.
The cool thing is, most superhero costumes are exempt 'cause they're basically zentai suits. It's why a lot of nonwhite kids take to Spider-Man so much.
I'm trying to figure out how this would work from a practical perspective. What would it be made from? Something plasticky, or cellophane like? I can't think of anything comparable off the top of my head. Boys only I guess, because it would show nipples.
The big potentially counterproductive part here is that Disney needs to merchandise the fuck out of shit to make the P&L's work on these movies. One incident is not enough, but if it starts to be a constant stream of "don't profit off of my culture" despite the best intentions, they may decide it's easier to churn out a constant stream of basically generic white culture movies, where the diverse characters are mostly token, i.e. a minority character who has no identifiable culturally different traits, but does have brown skin.
I'm not sure if that's a step forward or a step back. Probably both in a way. One the one hand minority actors often get type casted into "black" or "Asian" roles, but on the other hand having no recognition of different cultures sort of reinforces a colorblind philosophy of race.
It sets a precedent and opens a slippery slope.
Next you gonna remove the Hercules costume, because a few white ppl complained.
Then we cancel Oktoberfest, can't have a few Germans complain about culture appropriation.
Then we forbid Pizza...
Kidding a bit here, but you gotta draw the line somewhere. This is a kids(!) costume. Culture should be shared and the more it is exposed to, the better. I don't think many people knew about Mauli culture before. Why go through all this potential drama, when Disney can just resort to safe white characters and stories? Is that really a win for anyone?
Because having half-naked 10 year olds on the street in a grass skirt is kinda creepy, don't you think? Also, the costume has "muscles".
This situation was unique.
A black Disney princess will still have her damn Disney princess dress sold.
The costume here was presenting tattoos that go on human flesh and having to pick a damn color for the flesh. Instead of making multiple shades for all colors and creeds, they picked the shade of the character.
Silly uproar over this doesn't mean diversity is dead at Disney.
the narrative in this thread is that social justice Warriors have somehow triggered is need to take the costume away but if Pacific Islanders did complain about the movie and they did I don't think that we can go with that narrative that people are being offended on behalf of others and that there was already a history with the movie and the depiction of this character this God.
It just can't be hand waved as a handful people had a legitimate complaint about it. Disney is a huge corporation. Why wouldn't they act to preserve their image.?
Google Voice is pretty cool
The Faceless Master
Member
chaobreaker
Member
Actual Polynesians have expressed their objection over a costume like this and we have posters here dismissing them and moaning about those killjoys SJWs ruining their cultural appropriating fun again.
Please tell me how a dressing up as a Polynesian is comparable to a cat themed superhero costume or fucking Tarzan. Can't wait to see you all in next month's blackface threads.
Please tell me how a dressing up as a Polynesian is comparable to a cat themed superhero costume or fucking Tarzan. Can't wait to see you all in next month's blackface threads.
ZackieChan
Member
How many Pacific Islanders complaining does it take to make it wrong? What about those that think it's a good thing? Do they cancel the negative opinions out, or are they just not counted?
The articles and threads about this have a handful of negative opinions quoted in them. I'm genuinely curious where we draw the line.
excelsiorlef
Member
If only Disney was a Bank instead of another type of filthy rich business...
Gordon Shumway
Banned
We need numbers!
BronsonLee
Member
Dsyndrome
Member
See the next post after yours.
KeyBladerXIII
Member
So I'm guessing Maui and Moana won't be showing up at Disney World, eh?
I don't know that's not up to me all I'm pointing out is that Pacific Islanders have complained about it it made the news. It's not just people being offended on the behalf of them. That's a question for another thread possibly but it can't be ignored. And it's Disney's call enough to make Disney cancel the costume probably if the character didn't have trouble we'd still be seeing the costume but people have problem with the character and it wasn't people being outraged on the behalf of others Midwest Pacific Islanders that started issue
I just don't think you yourself, as a non-Polynesian, should be the one basically asking "so when should we stop listening to Polynesians"
excelsiorlef
Member
Like I'm still impressed the OP wilfully excluded the quote that identified the source of the complains as being from Polynesians. Started this thread off in a great way.
BronsonLee
Member
They fucking better and the movie better make a billion or I'm coming for you all
Gordon Shumway
Banned
But it was only, what..6 people on earth? Disney's shook..
You do that every night anyway..
Nope, because it'd be impossible to find Polynesian actors looking for work in Orlando. Might as well brown up some white people.
NobleGundam
Banned
Tatted hulk is opGuys, I came up with a solution.
Where's my paycheck Disney?
chaobreaker
Member
Depends. Does Disney put Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Mulan themed attractions, rides, and actors into Disney World?
Spoiler:
They do.
but for how long?!
BronsonLee
Member
good point
You don't have to use skin color to sell a costume. They could have easily just had a wig made for it and fake tattoos if they wanted to go that route. But the tattoos themselves are a part of a culture, and to commodify the culture to sell merchandise for your movie is disrespectful. Besides the fact that browning the skin is a historic thing used to typify dark skinned people as all types of things. And it was used by white actors who would then do stereotypical acts associated with whatever color shoe polish they used.
AlteredBeast
Fork 'em, Sparky!
Definitely seen all of them at Disney World. Often times, the actors resemble the ethnicity of the character they are playing (is it cultural appropriation if a Latino person plays an Arabic character?), but sometimes, it is just a white tan guy playing Aladdin, or a tan girl with dark hair playing Princess Jasmine, etc.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Can we just agree that there's "I find this offensive" and then there's "objectively offensive"? And that just because someone is genuinely, truly offended by something, it doesn't mean that said thing is an objectively offensive thing? Some Polynesians have stated that they're offended by this. That's a shame, and I don't doubt the validity of how they feel on a personal level, but it's a bit hard for me to take this seriously when the whole scenario was enveloped with SJW shit-stirring to begin with.
No because this means that nigger would still be acceptable today if we followed that logic. So no, how about you just sit and listen when told.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Lmao, in what world would a word with so much historical baggage and hurt attached to it be sanely considered as "not objectively offensive," let alone be comparable to an innocuous kid's costume?
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
Well for one thing Maui is an actual legend in the pacific that people believe in and wearing tattoos that you're not connected to either spiritually and physically is inappropriate. Not to mention wearing brown skin is just wrong (source). I guess you can say the same thing about say Hercules but Hercules is just one of many white characters in the Disney canon while Moana is the first movie to feature Polynesians, a group of people who get next to no real place in any piece of entertainment. So I could see why that group of people who get no representation might be a little concerned about the costume. At the end of the day I'd much rather empathize and not disrespect a group of peole than argue that appropriating a culture that gets little attention anyways deserves to have a Halloween costume when there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of non-racist costumes to choose from. You know, like an actual asshole.
Dsyndrome
Member
Dude, calm down. NO ONE said this, and your logic does not flow.
Why wouldn't they?
KeyBladerXIII
Member
Yeah, I think I remember reading about an actress (Hawaiian, I think), who played Mulan one day, and Pocahontas the next. Don't know how big a guy they'd look for to do Maui or if he'd be shirtless. The Tarzan actor was shirtless, but he wasn't around long.
excelsiorlef
Member
United States circa not that long ago?
The person complaining, and white people's opinions, respectively.
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