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New Zealand Politician Calls Out Disney For Overweight Portrayal of Moana's Maui

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D

Dalek

Member
Critics Are Calling Out Disney for Fat-Shaming Polynesians With ‘Moana’ Character

When Moana is released on November 23, 2016, the title character will be the first Disney princess of Polynesian descent. However, the look of the heroine’s sidekick, the demigod Maui, is creating a firestorm of criticism months before the film’s release.

According to New Zealand politician Jenny Salesa, the body shape of Maui is cause for concern. “When we look at photos of Polynesian men and women from the last 100-200 years, most of our people were not overweight and this negative stereotype of Maui is just not acceptable,” she writes on Facebook. “No thanks to Disney.”

Salesa calls Maui’s depiction “obese,” and thinks children might get the wrong message about their bodies. “The environment our kids grow up in and what they are exposed to have a role to play. Disney movies are very influential on our children. It is great that Moana is the lead. However, it is disappointing that Maui, one of our beloved historical ancestors from hundreds of years ago, who was a very strong man [and] a skilled navigator, is depicted to be so overweight in this kids’ movie.”
Click to expand...

The parliament member’s comments have created a whir of debate. One Facebook user said, “I agree and am surprised that they still didn’t change the image even though voiced by Dwayne Johnson, who I hope raised issues about it. Still looking forward to seeing it.”

Another did not agree with Salesa’s sentiments in the slightest. “It’s not a negative stereotype,” she wrote. “All people come in different sizes and shapes. They are just showing a different body type that some Polynesians do have. Sorry it is not the stereotypical one you dream up … not all of them can be that perfectly chiseled. Maui can be strong and bigger.”
Click to expand...
 
F

FriendlyGoat

Member
What nuance am I missing where making the guy (or, more accurately, strong demigod) fat--and not chiseled like the Johnson or Jason Momoa--classifies as fat shaming?
 
E

echoshifting

Banned
I don't think Maui has ever been depicted in Hawaiian traditional folklore as being large, so I guess I can see where they're coming from, even if I'm not fully persuaded.
 
B

BY2K

Membero Americo
How the fuck...

What!?

I mean to me the guy looks more like he could bench press a 10 wheeler, but that's just me, I guess.
 
M

Manmademan

Member
FriendlyGoat said:
What nuance am I missing where making the guy fat and not chiseled like the Johnson or Jason Momoa is fat shaming?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's not chiseled. That's a fat guy. A rather beefy fat guy, but still a fat guy.

Edit: misread your post. I don't think it's fat shaming per se, more of a "why do Polynesian men always have to be fat" complaint
 
S

Strimei

Member
My first thought when looking at Maui isn't that he's obese. I mean, he's certainly large, but I took it more just as big strong guy large, not obese-large.
 
N

norm9

Member
I thought this about people being mad and saying fat shaming about that Pixar animated short with the volcano being fat, but really it was an homage about Hawaiian legend Izzy. Is this something different?
 
davepoobond

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
isn't fat shaming supposed to be making fun of/shaming fat people?


i feel like they are trying to call it racism without actually accusing Disney of racism. which would at least make more sense if they did
 
S

spwolf

Member
FriendlyGoat said:
What nuance am I missing where making the guy (or, more accurately, strong godlike figure) fat and not chiseled like the Johnson or Jason Momoa is fat shaming?
Click to expand...

indeed, thats not what fat shaming is.


So they are calling out Disney for not making their hero perfect looking since making it perfect looking creates (positive????) pressure on kids to be perfect looking? Wtf, what century did they come out of?
 
D

Dennis

Banned
The more interesting thing to me is that they made the girl have a fuller figure than they usually allow the princesses to have. She is less slender and waif-like than for example Elsa.

tumblr_inline_o9i32qObdx1tyi01g_1280.jpg
 
R

RedStep

Member
A) Isn't making one of the heroes a fat guy the opposite of "fat-shaming"?

B) Isn't insisting that the fat guy be skinnier the epitome of "fat-shaming"?

C) See A and B
 
C

Crimson_Echidna

Banned
I could understand the point if he was like the sole male representation and was juxtaposed with like slender white characters, but I'd rather wait and see how all the other characters also look before calling it "Fat-shaming" or what have you.
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
The character looks more like an exaggerated, cartoon version of a heavyweight strong-man. He looks more bulky than fat. It's not like he has a huge gut that's hanging out over his pants.
 
C

capitalCORN

Member
The Beard said:
I don't see the problem here. He just has a huge muscle gut.
Click to expand...

Considering the difference in shape in peak strength and 'body building' physiques, the character's obviously designed around functionality. His shape right now feels more lived in than the 'model dream' of the modern era.
 
W

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
Dennis said:
The more interesting thing to me is that they made the girl have a fuller figure than they usually allow the princesses to have. She is less slender and waif-like than for example Elsa.

tumblr_inline_o9i32qObdx1tyi01g_1280.jpg
Click to expand...

yea, she's thick. He looks like he rips trees out by the roots and has been doing so since a teenager.

this is dumb. just shut up complainers. shut up.
 
S

Shaanyboi

Banned
...is there a history of stereotyping Polynesian men stereotyped as being fat? Because if not, I don't understand how this counts as "fat shaming". Or fat at all, really. He's hardly being presented as slovenly or obese or anything. He's clearly super skilled and presented as a tough character.

...This doesn't make sense.
 
C

Chie Satonaka

Member
Yeah, I can't get behind this one.

He doesn't look like some giant blob man. He looks like a thick strong tough guy.

Also, this isn't fat shaming.
 
N

norm9

Member
I dunno. Unless you're also of Polynesian descent, I don't think you can say that they don't have a right to complain.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Is this a retelling of the Maui stories and myths or is just kind of taking ideas from a variety of Polynesian/Melanesian/Micronesian cultures?
 
D

D i Z

Member
...the hell.... He's massive and awesome!!!! But by no stretch is he fat and slouchy. I get that the people of this generation might have some issues with representation about body issues, but I dunno. The kid in me is screaming "I wanna be a powerhouse like that too".
 
J

John Kowalski

Banned
This doesn't read as a thought out criticism. The lady is concerned that a historic figure is not being represented in the best of lights.

That said, good job OP for skipping the middle of the article which is much more relevant to the representation of the character than what the politician lady said.
 
N

Not

Banned
WTF they want her to look like Pocahontas?

I thought the actual changeup from stereotypical Western body types was refreshing
 
K

Kintaco

Member
RedStep said:
A) Isn't making one of the heroes a fat guy the opposite of "fat-shaming"?

B) Isn't insisting that the fat guy be skinnier the epitome of "fat-shaming"?

C) See A and B
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. Shouldn't Disney be praised for not making perfect model types be the main characters of their movie? Even the Heroine is not the typical body shaped princess.
 
F

Fuzyfrog

Member
He looks Samoan....


Also this hasnt caused a stir at all in NZ, I think it was made the news once when the comment was made then we moved on and our news is back to watching the rest of the world fall apart
 
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