Thank you for this post. Many folks seem to have a "they're coming for everything we have" sort of mindset when changes like this occur to attractions. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Rather, "they" are just asking for fair and equal representation.
As a white man, things can get a little tricky when I talk about stuff like this because on one hand, I need to try and understand where people of color are coming from and on the other, it is impossible for me to do so. But that's okay. Myself (-and others) need only do one thing when situations like this arise: listen. Listen to the folks who speak up about long standing, harmful representation in attractions like this and use our white privilege (yes, it is a thing) to do to something about. The privilege myself and others were born with need not be a negative thing. Recognize that we have it and use it to do something good in this world by speaking up or taking action with it until we reach a point where we're all on as equal footing as possible.
This is not some kind of one off, "SJW" or "woke" attack like some might claim. Those folks tend to cry out things like, "But when will it end?" or "Will we just give in to any demand that any "offended" person makes after coming off an attraction?". I answer; it will end when the long standing complaints about the systemic problems presented in the attraction do. -and also, no, Disney and others won't just "give in" to any rando who wants something changed in an attraction because they don't like it. During my time working Haunted Mansion Holiday, I had some religious folks bug me at the entrance about feeling offended that the magic of Christmas would be combined with such "evil Pagan rituals". Those complaints have basically fallen on deaf ears because they don't have a clear and present majority behind them. Which by extension means, maybe the issue isn't as a big a deal as they were trying to make it out to be. Those folks are obviously welcome to feel the way they do and aren't "wrong" to feel said way, but maybe they need to take a step back and realize that since enough of those complaints aren't happening, maybe there isn't as big of a "problem" as they think there might be.
But the complaints about depictions in attractions like Jungle Cruise and Splash have obviously been assessed differently by Disney after weighing what is in front of them. Just because some of the folks around here haven't heard the larger, sizeable amount of complaints personally doesn't mean they aren't there or that Disney hasn't. After the changes to Splash were announced, I messaged some folks of color I'd never spoken to before on other Disney fan sites to get their thoughts and they all told me that the depictions and voices used for some of the characters made them uncomfortable when riding. I've never experienced something like that and never thought anything of it when riding or working at Splash and while yes, it can be uncomfortable to have your sense of reality shattered and sad to see something you love go, I would rather know that my fellow man standing next to me in line is about to have a good as time as I am.
Attractions can be made inclusive and still be made well. I am by no means advocating or supporting Disney make a "lesser" product. Changes to the Jungle Cruise can be executed amazingly well AND be inclusive/less harmful to people of color. Honestly, if Disney didn't have a track record of things like Pixar Pier and Mission: Breakout!, I feel like far less people would be worried about the statement, "changes coming to *insert attraction here*". There would still be some folks complaining about "wokeness" or "SJW agendas" because they don't want to see any kind of change at all but there's nothing you can do about that except try to be the proverbial lighthouse to their ship about to run aground. The decision to crash is on them.
To any folks willing to throw things like, "Well, white people are portrayed as villians/thugs/goons in media and attractions, too!" around as a rebuttal, the key word there is "too". The bigger issue I believe people of color have is that they don't have enough positive portrayal to balance out the obvious bad that all races can and will be subjected to. I ask sincerely, do you honestly think a handful of portrayals similar to the natives in Jungle Cruise would be as much of an issue to people of color visiting if they had more positive portrayals of themselves elsewhere in the park? The bigger issue is that it's frankly one of the only forms of portrayal they have. -and that's not right.
No one is coming to take away what us whites have. There's always going to be movies made with characters like Anna and Elsa. We're good on that front and that's not a "problem". What we need is more representation with characters like Black Panther, Raya, Moana, Tiana, etc. to compliment the former. Imagineers of old were brilliant but the only time they really considered a sentiment like that was with "it's a small world". I think it's a good thing that things are changing direction. I do however, just want the changes to be done with quality. All Guests deserve a quality overhaul to Splash and Jungle Cruise for the price point we pay to get in.
But those are just my ramblings. I'd love to listen to and hear what those who are actually more affected by the systemic issues in park have to say.
