Disney is often accused of being “woke.” Anytime Disney promotes diversity or LGBTQ+ inclusion, the accusation pops back up. Social media has allowed anonymous people to take shots at Disney without putting their names on it. But some people don’t mind putting their names on it.
That now pertains to Dr. Jordan Peterson and a documentary called Unwoke, Inc. The documentary calls into question the Walt Disney Company’s current business practices and other companies that have embraced “woke” culture. The documentary is hosted by Amala Ekpunobi, who claims that “woke” is “tearing our country apart.”
In promoting the documentary, Peterson used a clip from the Disney show Proud Family, discussing America’s history of slavery and reparations. That is intercut with a video of two young girls discussing the American flag. The video appears to be from the 1990s.
Peterson rose to fame in 2016 when he got into a heated debate with Cathy Newman on Canadien television. Peterson argues that the gender pay gap does not exist. He uses cherry-picked dubious “facts” to prove his points in what has become his hallmark. The interview made Peterson a darling of American right-wing media.
Before becoming a provocateur of the left, Peterson was a practicing clinical psychologist and professor at the University of Toronto. Also, in 2016, Peterson started his YouTube channel: Professor Against Political Correctness. The channel promotes right-wing conspiracy theories and fights against social justice movements.
Bye bye @disney you had a good run… https://t.co/JE8Eiy7ehw
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) June 5, 2023
In the past, Peterson has been accused of using racist, homophobic, and sexist tropes to promote his ideas. He has also promoted conspiracy theories and spent most of the Pandemic attacking the American and Canadien government for its Covid restrictions. Despite all that, he has risen to fame in right-wing circles.
In recent weeks, Peterson has promoted boycotts of both Target and Bud Light for promoting LGBTQ+ merchandise. But now, he has turned his attention to Disney and is attempting to bring down the entertainment giant.
Disney has been accused of being “woke” before. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he is feuding with Disney over its “woke” business practices. Disney drew the ire of Governor DeSantis when it spoke out against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney and DeSantis are now involved in dueling lawsuits.
Despite the accusation of “wokeness,” few on the right can come up with a comprehensive definition of its meaning. And attempted boycotts of Disney have fallen flat.
Critics point to changes in Walt Disney Studios films. A teacher in Florida is being investigated for showing Disney’s Strange World (2022), which has an openly gay character. Twitter was also angry over the casting of Halle Bailey as The Little Mermaid and an African American Tinker Bell in Peter Pan and Wendy (2023).
But the ultimate ire of social media trolls came from Disney’s retheming of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. But Disney CEO Bob Iger has said that the company is committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone
We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.
