News Disney plans to include a black Santa Claus at Walt Disney World this year as the company continues its diversity and inclusion program

Mindy55

Active Member
To rephrase a bit, taking into account what you are saying, in popular culture in the United States of America (where WDW is located), the fictional Santa Clause character has historically been portrayed as an overweight white man with white hair and a white beard.

I know you think I'm trying to create division but I'm really not. I am also well aware that Hispanics can be from many races. I just don't like using "African American" to refer to Black people because most of my Black friends and acquaintances are from the Caribbean so they aren't "African" at least in the most recent place their ancestors lived.

I wouldn't want Miguel from Coco turned white for a parade. I wouldn't have an issue if they wanted to have a Santa with a different skin tone inside the appropriate Epcot pavilion. Seeing a Mexican Santa in "Mexico" would match the theming and be fine with me. Making a "generic" American Santa have a different skin color just reeks of woke pandering to me.

I'm not going to boycott Disney over it because I don't really care that much but I'm allowed to not like the move and it doesn't make me a racist because I don't like it.

BTW, I've known several Puerto Rican people who have much whiter skin than I do.
Well said ☺️
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
I would actually love to use this as an opportunity to learn.

Here are my questions:

Is Santa a tradition?

Are traditions important to our culture and if so why?

What are the core tenants of the tradition of Santa?

I guess Im trying to figure out what is and is not malleable about Santa.

Please note these questions I’m asking are not in argument against black Santa. I’m trying to better my understanding of these concepts.

I’ll give it a shot

1. Yes. And culturally, that tradition is varied. I’d wager to say that the many who visit Disney (domestically and internationally) have varied views on this

2. I think the question would be more relevant if you substituted “each one’s” for “our”

3. Well. That depends. On culture, belief, and personal views.

Santa does not share an exclusive relationship with one country nor one culture.
 

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
@ bdeari41...but why does Santa need to be a "him" at all? I see no reason why Santa can't be a "her" as well.

We are talking about a mythological character and not an actual person. It's therefore perfectly OK to change the character in any way we like to suit our needs.

Isn't this how ALL mythology works?
Hey can't Santa be a "him" that identifies as a "her", a "her" that identifies as a "him", or ""they"?
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
No, I welcome it.

Having a black Santa doesn’t fix the actual problems.

The company and executives that you are singing the praises of have by in large priced minorities out of the park.

You are going to have a majority of white people taking their picture with black Santa celebrating how “diverse” they are.
I don't agree with your feedback. Is WDW overpriced, it surely is however TWDC is making attempts to capture the people of color market and get more of a piece of spending these folks to spend their discretionary income supporting TWDC. Instead of you already assuming on your specific target segment I'm more open minded than that.
 
Last edited:

Cliff

Well-Known Member
@LittleBuford - My definition of "racism" is simple. It's treating people differently than you otherwise would, based on their ethnicity or the color of their skin. I believe this is a terrible and immoral way to deal with people. I'm 100% sincere about this and I'm sure all of us agree.

However, there seems to be "two" types of "racism" in this world today:

1.) "Bad racism" = Treating people negatively with bad intention based on race.
2.) "Good racism" = Promoting and favoring people "specifically" because of their race.

#1 is bad,...we ALL agree! No question. #2 is debatable because "THAT" racism is based on "good intentions". In other words, "good racism" is designed to correct and compensate for the bad racism that has existed on Earth for thousands of years.

The fallacy is...you cannot correct and fix racist thinking....by using MORE racist thinking! We are teaching ourselves NOT to use race as a factor in dealing with each other,...then turn right around again and say that we SHOULD use race as a factor as long as our intentions are good.

Which is it? Are we NOT supposed to look at skin color...or are we SUPPOSED to look at it?

You can't fix bad racism by trying to reverse it with good racism. Racism needs to be eradicated from ALL of our thinking. Negative AND positive!

Only THEN will we achieve the social equality goals we are all looking for.
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
Thanks for the response.

I’ll start with point 2 - you are completely correct on this, thanks for pointing that out.

3. Is there something shared in common. Is there and “essence” for lack of a better word of Santa?

Santa is not really my area of expertise. I’m sure there are shared values amongst cultures. And there are probably some differing values. Some Nordic cultures believe Santa is a gnome. For all I know he could be smack dab in the middle of the Fjording store in the Norway pavilion - just watching and making his list.
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
"You are going to have a majority of white people taking their picture with black Santa celebrating how “diverse” they are."
I'm confused are you criticizing white people for having their picture taken because it's look at me? But if white people don't have their picture taken they are racist. Damned if do damned if you don't?
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member

I don’t even understand what your talking about at this point.

Targeting “PoC” as you put it does nothing to raise their average household income.

Less people of color can afford the parks as the cost outpaces income.

Praising black Santa is fine.

Praising the company that only pays lip service to their support of “Poc” seems confusing.
Clearly your strong dislike on TWDC is evident in their ways to improve diversity and inclusion. I fully support Disney's approach to this and they will continue to do so to attract more people of color to support the company.
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
This isn't a supposed to be a black man dressed as Santa. He's supposed to BE Santa. Santa is a fictional character who happens to be white. This would be like having Mickey Rat instead of Mickey Mouse.

This isn't "inclusion" it is pandering. Would we celebrate a white actor dressed up as the Black Panther? I don't think so and I'd be just as against that.
Santa Claus or Saint Nick or Father Christmas...who are we depicting and expecting? The depiction you have is thanks to a very effective Coca Cola campaign. So I would say what he is supposed to be depends on who you ask.
 

ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
The significance of Black Panther derives from his being black. He stands out in a genre otherwise dominated by white superheroes. It’s even there in his name.

Your argument echoes those that question why we need Black History Month or ask why Straight Pride isn’t a thing. The answers are pretty self-evident.
You'd think with global travel being so easy and convenient at this point, and ethnicities and cultures mixing and overlapping all over the place, that skin color would cease to be a means of defining a person by "race". We're all part of the same human race. Sure, we may be different nationalities and from different cultures, but at this point we should be using those traits to celebrate each other and to find commonalities where cultures have borrowed from each other in the past. (Santa Claus is a pretty dang good example of cultural "borrowing".) The comedian Jo Koy does a few bits in his special "Comin' in Hot" that talk about ethnicity a lot...Hawaiians, Mexicans, Filipinos, and Asians in general...but the way he does it, it's clear how much he loves all the different cultures and their history. THAT is the kind of attitude we should all have towards each other.
 

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
You'd think with global travel being so easy and convenient at this point, and ethnicities and cultures mixing and overlapping all over the place, that skin color would cease to be a means of defining a person by "race". We're all part of the same human race. Sure, we may be different nationalities and from different cultures, but at this point we should be using those traits to celebrate each other and to find commonalities where cultures have borrowed from each other in the past. (Santa Claus is a pretty dang good example of cultural "borrowing".) The comedian Jo Koy does a few bits in his special "Comin' in Hot" that talk about ethnicity a lot...Hawaiians, Mexicans, Filipinos, and Asians in general...but the way he does it, it's clear how much he loves all the different cultures and their history. THAT is the kind of attitude we should all have towards each other.
Jo Koy rocks! especially when he does the accents of people from various countries.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
@LittleBuford - My definition of "racism" is simple. It's treating people differently than you otherwise would, based on their ethnicity or the color of their skin. I believe this is a terrible and immoral way to deal with people. I'm 100% sincere about this and I'm sure all of us agree.

However, there seems to be "two" types of "racism" in this world today:

1.) "Bad racism" = Treating people negatively with bad intention based on race.
2.) "Good racism" = Promoting and favoring people "specifically" because of their race.

#1 is bad,...we ALL agree! No question. #2 is debatable because "THAT" racism is based on "good intentions". In other words, "good racism" is designed to correct and compensate for the bad racism that has existed on Earth for thousands of years.

The fallacy is...you cannot correct and fix racist thinking....by using MORE racist thinking! We are teaching ourselves NOT to use race as a factor in dealing with each other,...then turn right around again and say that we SHOULD use race as a factor as long as our intentions are good.

Which is it? Are we NOT supposed to look at skin color...or are we SUPPOSED to look at it?

You can't fix bad racism by trying to reverse it with good racism. Racism needs to be eradicated from ALL of our thinking. Negative AND positive!

Only THEN will we achieve the social equality goals we are all looking for.
This is the best explanation I’ve read. Equality should be based on equality of opportunity for everyone not equality of outcome by favouring one group over another on any basis
 

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
@LittleBuford

You brought up the fact that Black Panther is “literally in the name”

I would agree completely.

Does this not apply to Snow White?
BTW
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
Should all Santas at WDW have to look like Disney produced Santa Clause Santa, Tim Allen?

That would be awesome. Disney owned Miramax at the time this was made.

Tell me that this wouldn’t be the perfect EPCOT Santa

58A774DB-CF9C-439B-AABD-F168C8F0139B.jpeg
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom