Racist imagery in children’s media causes harm, not entertainment By Nancy Medrano
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ooks are meant to help comfort and entertain kids. Some books are doing more harm than good and show racist imagery. They show young children illustrations that their parents might have wanted to prevent them from seeing. Even some of the “purest” books can convey an unwanted message. As of March 2, six of author Theodor Seuss Geisel’s famous Dr. Seuss books ceased publication due to their racist imagery. The books have been around since 1937, meaning they have been on bookshelves for 84 years, before people noticed the insensitive imagery. Although books such as, “Scrambled Eggs Super!,” “Think That Nancy I Saw It On Mulberry Street,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “That Cat Quizzer” and “If I Ran the Zoo” have been publicly called out for all over news outlets, there are many racist, classic children’s books that still haven’t. The original 1964 plot of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Ronald Dahl included the line, “...from the very deepest and darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had been before.” The book also refers to the Oompa Loompas as “black pygmies.” After much backlash, the Oompa Loompas were changed into characters with orange skin and green hair. Another classic children’s book, “Peter Pan” by J.M. Barrie, makes stereotyp-
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ical references to Tiger Lily and the other Native Americans. Not only is there inappropriate imagery in children’s books, but there are also harmful stereotypes in kids’ movies, especially in Disney. Many movies used animals to convey a harmful message, such as an inaccurate representation of a specific culture or race. This often makes it more difficult for people to distinguish inappropriate behavior. The 1970 film “The Aristocats,” directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, shows Thomas’s gang where each cat portrays another race. Normally there wouldn’t be a problem Medrano with this, but Shun Gon, an alley cat, is depicted as Chinese with slanted eyes and even plays the piano with chopsticks. In the 1955 film “The Lady and the Tramp,” the Siamese cats have slanted eyes and sing in broken English with an accent, mocking East Asian people. When a parent or teacher exposes a young child to diversity, they begin to form an identity that best reflects them and shapes them into someone they want to be. When looking for a diverse book, one should start with a book where the main character is a person of color that helps speak out when others can’t. The characters of the book should also face real-life
Parents shouldn’t have to be worried about what to show or read to their children.
8 The Pearl Post | April 2021
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experiences instead of something fictional.Young adult books, “Holding Up the Universe” by Jennifer Niven and “Calling My Name” by Liara Tamani are good examples of diverse books. Parents shouldn’t have to be worried about what to show or read to their children. They are actually encouraged to use books to talk about heavy topics. Although finding the right book can be challenging at first, it can also be beneficial for many right reasons.
