Disney was urged to alter Snow White’s storyline because it encourages “kissing without consent.”
A lot of people are pushing Disney to update Snow White’s story for the contemporary era.
Disney’s first feature-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, debuted in 1937 and has since become a beloved childhood favorite for many. Inspired on the German fable by the Brothers Grimm, the film narrates the tale of a banished princess who makes friends with seven dwarfs following her exile due to her evil stepmother.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the United States Library of Congress has designated the movie as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” yet some contemporary viewers believe an update is overdue.
Many want the beloved children’s book to be changed to reflect contemporary culture. Disney is credited.
Many of the beloved Disney movies are now being viewed in a far more somber manner. One fan tweeted, “As a kid, I never knew how dark and sinister some scenes were.”
“You ever go back and watch some of the Disney animated movies that came out when we were kids and realized how damn dark and not really for kids they were?” tweets another X (previously Twitter) user.
One moment in particular from Snow White has stirred a heated discussion.
Some viewers of today have deemed Snow White’s kiss scene disturbing. Disney is credited.
In a famous scene at the end of the film, Snow White is kissed by the prince, who is devastated by her seeming death. But some viewers today think this scene is awkward and out of date.
Journalist and broadcaster Nichi Hodgson claimed that the scene conveys an ambiguous message regarding consent during an interview on Good Morning Britain. She pointed out that the kiss wasn’t in the original Brothers Grimm tale; Disney had added it.
Disney is obligated morally. If they so want, they are able to do business ethically. Their movies bring in billions of dollars annually. These are some of the first storylines that young children see when they watch their movie, according to Hodgson.
Celebrities have also weighed in on the conversation. In an interview with Parents magazine, actress Kristen Bell revealed that she had a serious discussion about the kissing moment with her kids, asking them to consider how strange it is that the prince kisses Snow White without getting her consent. because while someone is sleeping, you cannot kiss them!
Celebrities who have chimed in on the argument include Kristen Bell. Regards: Alamy
One reader wrote, “I think it’s great we’re opening up the conversation about consent, but people blaming Disney – a romantic kiss at the end of a movie isn’t the reason teenagers become confused about consent.” However, not everyone agreed that the original narrative should be revised.
“Leave Disney alone; it’s a fairytale,” says an additional person.
Someone else makes the argument, “I’d argue that Snow White would readily give her consent to be kissed since not kissing her would condemn her to eternal sleep.”
A fourth commenter concurs, writing: “It’s unbelievable that they’re suddenly claiming that Snow White is incorrect! Why not consider it to be life’s kiss?
An update on the Snow White ride at Disneyland in California has revived the discussion. Disneyland Resort is credited.
Following a redesign of the Snow White Enchanted Wish ride at Disneyland in California, which now concludes with the prince kissing Snow White, the controversy erupted once more. Julie Tremaine and Katie Dowd called this addition the “movie’s biggest problem” in their SFGATE review.
The review poses the question, “Haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue?” “Teaching children that it is inappropriate to kiss without getting consent from both parties.”
The actress who will play Snow White in the upcoming film adaptation, Rachel Zegler, has hinted that the new version will adopt a different strategy. The famous kissing sequence from the original film is still there, but the 2025 version is reportedly taking a different turn.
Zegler, who gained notoriety earlier for her remarks about the original, discussed her ideas in an Extra TV interview. She called Snow White and the prince’s relationship “weird” and said that their romance won’t be the main focus this time. She went so far as to make light of the prince’s scenes, joking, “It’s Hollywood, baby.”