ipl-logo

Racial Stereotypes In The Lion King

965 Words4 Pages
The neglection of diversity and the enforcement of stereotypes in Disney media is negatively affecting the generation Z in their development. Disney was founded in 1923 in Los Angeles, CA (“The Walt Disney Studios History”). During that time, the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) was rising and the oppression of minorities (notably African-Americans) was greater than ever. The oppression of minorities prompted Disney to be centered around Caucasian characters. Foreign cultures were represented as crude, disrespectful, and inhuman. “The movie Aladdin shows negative stereotypical imagery and lyrics in the movie. In the movie The Lion King, jive talking hyenas were characters that lived in a jungle equivalent of an inner-city ghetto. Finally, the film Pocahontas is Disney’s answer to the previous criticisms on racial/cultural biases” (Gries, Mumy, Allodi). The false images Disney portrays for children will influence the decisions and the actions they execute later in their lives. These stereotypical words and images also direct ethnic children to be ashamed of what the media shows them to be in society. Moreover, even with recent Disney characters such as Moana, children do not get to see people of color directing the media. Stacy Smith, an associate professor at USC Anneberg; founder & director, media, diversity, & social change initiative, states, “Our research consistently shows that behind the camera, directing is predominantly an occupation held by white males. When the lens is this
Open Document