Production has started for Disney's first black princess in animated film

[MadameX]

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

. Someone explain to me why this is positive.

It's not some much a positive when you look ay how look it took for positive imagery of our people to get on screen in cinema. However, its more pleasant for the young black children to see characters in their own image on screen.

[sonflour_2001]

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

If the Black women in this thread would like to see Black princess, the virtuous of them should shuffle over to the closest mirror.

Thanks for that. XOXO

But it has everything to do with childhood development. Children are more perceptive than anyone gives them credit for. Animation has a big monopoly on entertainment for children and the blatant absence of blacks depicted in it can have harrowing effects on children in terms of their identity. It perpetuates a very hard lesson for these black children who may not get to see their likeness on screen: white people are the default race and all others are merely peripheral if there at all.
It's similar to the toy industry gradually including other ethnic toys for the various multicultural groups in America.
Hell, when I was a kid nearly all the cartoons I watched had depictions of white people. Think back to He-Man, She-ra, Any past Disney films,
Okay, Rainbow Bright did have a black girl.

For the most part different ethnicities have been primarily absent. Blacks...Asians...Native Americans...yeah right.


Dee

Originally Posted by sonflour_2001

Thanks for that. XOXO

But it has everything to do with childhood development. Children are more perceptive than anyone gives them credit for. Animation has a big monopoly on entertainment for children and the blatant absence of blacks depicted in it can have harrowing effects on children in terms of their identity. It perpetuates a very hard lesson for these black children who may not get to see their likeness on screen: white people are the default race and all others are merely peripheral if there at all.
It's similar to the toy industry gradually including other ethnic toys for the various multicultural groups in America.
Hell, when I was a kid nearly all the cartoons I watched had depictions of white people. Think back to He-Man, She-ra, Any past Disney films,
Okay, Rainbow Bright did have a black girl.

For the most part different ethnicities have been primarily absent. Blacks...Asians...Native Americans...yeah right.


Dee

I don't know if I like the idea of accepting a situation where any of my children derived confidence in their appearance or selves from cartoons or entertainment in general. In any event afrocentric things are there for those who seek them. Local libraries have all type of Black cartoons and children movies, free and in general, quality programs.
I was kid in the late 80's when Black power was in, so fortunatly I didn't depend on disney nor did I really watch it, being a male and all.

[MadameX]

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

In any event afrocentric things are there for those who seek them.

Exactly. Seek & Ye Shall Find. As a people,we can not expect a media which in the past has thrived on pushing projects which promote in some cases subliminal and blantant racism to tell our story from our prospective.

[Samoon]

Afro-Saxon, thanks for the lovely compliment to the sistas. And no, I fail to understand why a sista has to be rescued by a white, male Prince. This message bears out in that it speaks volumes.

Make 'Samoon understand?

[MadameX]

Originally Posted by Samoon

And no, I fail to understand why a sista has to be rescued by a white, male Prince.

A White prince for a Sista in animation insn't needed, bring on the Nubian prince.

[sonflour_2001]

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

I don't know if I like the idea of accepting a situation where any of my children derived confidence in their appearance or selves from cartoons or entertainment in general. In any event afrocentric things are there for those who seek them. Local libraries have all type of Black cartoons and children movies, free and in general, quality programs.
I was kid in the late 80's when Black power was in, so fortunatly I didn't depend on disney nor did I really watch it, being a male and all.

I definitely don't like it either Afro Saxon.
As for afrocentric entertainment, that's fine too, but we should be represented in all aspects of the entertainment world, not simply in a corner of it. Children and parents shouldn't have to go search for media which represents characters that mirror the likeness of themselves and their offspring. This whole Disney issue simply speaks to a greater issue of ethnic groups who represent "The Other" being marginalized. It has to stop.

Dee

Originally Posted by sonflour_2001

I definitely don't like it either Afro Saxon.
As for afrocentric entertainment, that's fine too, but we should be represented in all aspects of the entertainment world, not simply in a corner of it. Children and parents shouldn't have to go search for media which represents characters that mirror the likeness of themselves and their offspring. This whole Disney issue simply speaks to a greater issue of ethnic groups who represent "The Other" being marginalized. It has to stop.

Dee

I don't think of it as a positive, I'd rather Blacks profit off of our own images. The people who control Disney are wealthy enough and certainly aren't contributing to the community. Why economically empower he who gives you a token?

[MadameX]

Originally Posted by Afro Saxon

Why economically empower he who gives you a token?

Speak on it. Enough of this foolishness has already been done. Time to flip the script.

[elishadp]

Well, for me the true test will come when it's time to incorporate this character into the parks; whether the character is a face character (real person) or a costume. The other princesses played by real people are most of the time white girls in heavy makeup, including Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan.