(OPINION) Disney said it is ditching “fairy godmothers” for more inclusive, gender-neutral titles at dress-up boutiques inside its theme parks — and some fans are less than enchanted with the news according to the NYP.
Specifically, the Mouse House is getting rid of the “fairy godmother” title at its Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques located in both Disney World and Disneyland, according to an update on Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort’s websites.
The salons, which give makeovers to kids ages 3 to 12 to transform them into princesses or knights, will reopen from pandemic-era closures on Aug. 25, the company said this week.
When they return, employees who were formerly called “Fairy Godmothers in Training” will now be called “Fairy Godmother’s Apprentices.” “This way, cast members that might not identify as female can still be part of the process to dress up & style the children without having to refer to themselves as a female Disney character,” according to Disney blog “Streaming the Magic.”
The news set off some Disney fans, who felt that the Mouse House is going overboard leaning into “woke” culture. “This is a mental illness…the magic is gone,” wrote one Twitter user. “Get woke, go broke,” tweeted another.
“I hate this world!,” another Twitter user wrote of the news, while another tweeted, “Birthing People Apprentices” — an apparent riff on the term “fairy godmother’s apprentice,” comparing it to the ridiculed gender-neutral term “birthing people.” Recently, Disney has made a push to appear more inclusive and politically correct, angering some Disney diehards.
