Disney has added a content warning to some of its most popular classics on Disney+, including Peter Pan and Dumbo, to warn viewers about the stereotypes within.

Rather than removing or editing these movies, Disney has added the warning in an attempt to educate people about the harmful impact of the negative depictions.

Disney+ Now Shows Content Warnings for Some Movies

In 2019, Disney added content warnings to some of its movies on Disney+. The warning would appear as a small message on the screen.

Now, that message has been updated, and also stays on the screen for ten seconds before the movie begins.

The message reads:

This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit: www.Disney.com/StoriesMatter

This message appears on many older Disney movies like Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson.

That's because these movies contain offensive stereotypes. For example, Peter Pan portrays Native people in a way that doesn't reflect their authentic traditions and appropriates and mocks their cultural imagery.

Another example is the Aristocats, where a cat is a racist caricature of East Asian peoples. The character is voiced by a white actor who sings in poorly accented English and mocks the Chinese language in the lyrics.

Why Is Disney+ Showing These Content Warnings?

There has been a shift in the entertainment industry to acknowledge past work and prejudices contained within.

When it comes to redistributing these works, the approach has differed. For example, Warner Bros. displays a warning before many of its cartoons to warn of the racial stereotypes.

In June 2020, HBO Max removed the 1939 American movie Gone with the Wind, before adding it back to the service with a new disclaimer about how it "denies the horrors of slavery, as well as its legacies of racial inequality".

Alongside this new amended content warning, Disney has launched its Stories Matter website. The site acknowledges the company's past, but looks forward to its ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion.

To help Disney achieve that goal, it has sought the insight of an advisory council made up of organizations that drive narrative change in the media.

Understand the Black Lives Matter Movement

You should take the time to understand why these content warnings have been added and why the depictions within these movies and harmful.

Disney isn't the only company trying to improve and educate. Earlier this year, Netflix launched a collection to help you understand the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.