7/27/2022 - politics-and-society

Walt Disney Inclusive?

By lucia boccio

Walt Disney Inclusive?

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The release of the new Disney film "LightYear" generated a new controversy for an unusual reason, at least for those we believe to live in the 21st century. The alboroto is due to a scene where two people of the same sex kiss on their lips. The runtime of the scene is only 6 seconds long. That's all. On social networks that echoed the film's bans in 14 countries of the world. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Malaysia, Indonesia and Jordan are some of the territories where the film was banned in cinema. Since the Middle East, they claim that this film “violates the content standards of the media.” Many detractors criticized the tape with homophobic comments, people who joined the boycott against "Lightyear" argue that children and girls are not old enough to see this kind of scenes.

While Disney Pixar films become increasingly inclusive, despite criticism, the world's most famous parks also bring their grain of sand in this building of a more just and equitable society. Asistí a Disney Hollywood Studios (one of the 4 parks situated in Orlando) with a 5-year-old girl and as we followed the directions to enter an auditorium, innocently asked me what one of the staff members had. It is complex to explain to a small age why a person lacks legs, but it is essential that children realize that everyone can live and work freely beyond possible limitations. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (mostly known as the CDC) estimates that 13.7% of the American population with disabilities (61 million people) refers to a motor issue, i.e. about 8.4 million people have chronic motor difficulties. While the situation Argentina is different, at least this shows the statistics carried out by the INDEC. The National Institute of Statistics and Census held in 2018 a survey that provided the following numbers: 2,57% of the total Argentine population has some type of motor disability, therefore, about 1.2 million people. Taking a quantitative dimension of incapacity indices allows us to take measures according to both private companies and social life, and public policies at institutional level. The inclusion of personnel with motric difficulties, including ramps, aisle widths for the formation of adapted queues and auditoriums in all games, is a way to naturalize motor deficiencies and thus be able to generate a more comprehensive society.

But perhaps my biggest surprise came when, at one of the attractions of Indiana Jones, a woman with a malformation in one of her hands appeared in the center of the scene to perform the language interpretation of signs of the driver's speech. Here I also analyzed the importance of the opportunity given to a person with a certain disability and also the example of resilience that gives to others, especially children. Argentine statistics show that 1.1% of the total population has some hearing impairment, i.e. approximately half a million people. On the other hand, the CDC estimates that 3.6 million Americans have hypoacusis (partial hearing impairment) or anacusis (total hearing loss). It is not less clear that neither in the United States nor in Argentina, the language of passwords is not officially recognized, although it is the language most used by patients without oralizing. We must naturalize that we are all different, we have different capacities and that no one should be excluded. These are the values that we must be not only giving to the next generations, but rather discouraging ourselves with the example.

In the evening, the traditional audiovisual closure had a small change that caught my attention, the artificial fire show no longer had these characteristic explosions, but were many colorful lights that made it competition at night starry. Pyrotechnia especially affects children with autistic spectrum condition, as they have hypersensitivity to sounds in general. 1 out of 44 people in the United States have autism according to the CDC, while in Argentina there are no official data. Either way, unofficial data estimates that 1 out of 59 people have EEA. That’s why there are many campaigns (at the most known local level is “More Lights Less Noise”) where it rises that do not celebrate with sound pyrotechnics, but with lumic pyrotechnics. If a child or adult with the condition of the autistic spectrum feel bored may not look at the luminous spectacle, but if it is sound it becomes invasive and almost impossible to escape. These technological advances provide us with tools to be able to perform a show that everyone can enjoy.

While many are not significant or far-reaching provisions, it is important to emphasize the companies that somehow commit themselves to causes of inclusion and especially those that are present in the lives of small and at key moments for their formation. That's why, on the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort, we celebrate the inclusion measures they incorporated into their parks so that anyone can enjoy this magical place.

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lucia boccio

lucia boccio

I am Lucia, a Bachelor of Social Sciences from Torcuato Di Tella University and specialised in communication and journalism. Writing was always for me the way to convey my opinions, as well as a means of reflection. Fan of literature, art and music. A millionaire heart.

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