Disney Backpedals DEI With New Content Warning, Performance Standard

BURBANK, CA — Disney is changing its approach to diversity, equity and inclusion as President Donald Trump has made his opposition to such efforts a central talking point during his first weeks in office.

The entertainment giant is altering the disclaimers that accompany older animated films including “Peter Pan” and “Dumbo” to say the movies, “may contain stereotypes or negative depictions,” as opposed to most recently saying they include “negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures,” according to Variety.

Disney’s first such warning came in 2019 and said films “may contain outdated cultural depictions,” Variety reported Tuesday, before the company changed in 2020 to a disclaimer that was much longer and said in part:

“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.”

Disney also in a memo Tuesday from Chief Human Resources Officer Sonia Coleman said it would replace the diversity and inclusion performance factor in its approach to executive compensation with a talent strategy factor, according to the message, published in full by Deadline.

“This factor will assess how leaders uphold our company values, incorporate different perspectives to drive business success, cultivate an environment where all employees can thrive, and sustain a robust pipeline to ensure long-term organizational strength,” the memo said.