14 Disney Movie Scenes That Are Problematic As Hell

My childhoooooood!

Recently we asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the problematic scenes they came across while rewatching Disney movies as an adult. Here are some of the best answers.

1. The cringeworthy portrayal of historical characters in Pocahontas.

Disney

You can tell they tried to be respectful to Pocahontas's tribe, but along with all the inaccuracies and portraying John Smith as a dashing romantic hero instead of the lying jerk he was, it turned out terrible.

—colleend9

2. The questionable drug use by Alice in Alice in Wonderland.

Disney

Alice took SO, SO, SO many unknown drugs and no one said anything about it.

—l434c698c9

3. The "good guy" portrayal of Peter Pan.

Disney

Peter Pan is supposed to be the "good guy", so we're supposed to root for him. But he cut Captain Hook's hand off and fed it to a crocodile, which is a really cruel thing to do. I guess if you're a good person, then it doesn't matter if you mutilate someone you don't like!

—silencesilence

4. Pretty much everything about The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Disney

I rewatched it recently and was blown away that this was a Disney movie. There's literally a song about Frollo's temptation and burning Esmeralda.

—chessaf

5. And Song of the South.

Disney

All of it.

—Finnbar Hilferty Warren, Facebook

6. The Pleasure Island scenes in Pinocchio.

Disney

It was one of my favourite movies as a child but that scene makes me cringe and feel uncomfortable.

—nicoleb43f858cc6

7. The racist undertones in "Song of the Roustabouts" from Dumbo.

Disney

When I first listened to it when I was younger, I thought it was just a fun song with a nice beat. Hearing the lyrics now and knowing what those men are supposed to be portraying...it's absolutely horrific.

—ryannw449ef5a1d

8. And characters like Jim Crow.

Disney

The racist Jim Crow character from Dumbo still amazes me. When was that ever appropriate?

—Dick Inbarghm, Facebook

9. As well as the treatment of animals in the movie.

Disney

The animal abuse in Dumbo. His mama was treated horribly!

—clandahlina

10. The whole Ariel/Eric dynamic in The Little Mermaid.

Disney

Falling in "love" with the idea of someone you haven't actually met, changing who you are for him, having to convince him to love you back by tricking him into kissing you only to have him drop you for some new bitch...it was one of my favourite movies as a kid and I still love the aesthetic of it, but the message and plot are problematic as an adult.

—mtaddeo2

11. And the exaggerated features of the blackfish, which mock African American soul singers.

Disney

I remember watching The Little Mermaid and feeling unnerved by the blackfish for some reason. Now that I'm older, I know better.

—taliaaenzi

12. The racist stereotyping of certain cultures in Aristocats.

Disney

I honestly did not realise how racist that song from Aristocats was until I let my kindergarten students in China watch it. It got to that part and I, without thinking, said "oh my god" out loud. I ran up to the computer that was plugged into the TV and skipped it fast. That part leaves no leeway to say, "Well, it's not that bad". No, it's super racist.

—Evan Glydwell, Facebook

13. As well as Lady and the Tramp.

Disney

Definitely everything about the Siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp. Their accents, the exaggerated slant to their eyes and even the gong used in their song.

—mcmolls

14. And lastly, the problematic nature of the villain in Incredibles 2.

Disney

I have a massive problem with Incredibles 2. The villain is someone who is trying to tell people that they can be their own heroes. Apart from the tactics she employs to get her way, she's not wrong. Sometimes you only have yourself to depend on. Plus the villain is literally the *ONLY* scientist in the movie...that's not a great message to send to kids.

—Abbie Hartley, Facebook

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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