Disney ditches Merida makeover
DISNEY has removed a ‘made-over’ version of Brave heroine Merida from its website following a protest campaign.
Critics claimed the character had been made to look ‘sexier’, with more pronounced curves, softer features and tumbling hair. Even her trusty bow and arrow had been removed.
Furious fans, including the film’s director Brenda Chapman, hit out the decision to sexualise the character.
A petition by female empowerment website A Mighty Girl argued that Disney was doing a ‘tremendous disservice to the millions of children for whom Merida is an empowering role model’.
More than 200,000 people signed the online petition.
Although Disney has now removed the image, it denied that the move represented a U-turn.
A company spokesman said: ‘The artwork that has been circulated online was always intended to be used on a limited line of
‘They should be ashamed’
products only as a one-time stylized version and was created for Merida’s celebration to welcome her into the Disney Princess court.
‘Disney uses different styles of art on characters regularly, changing them to fit specific needs.’
The Disney Princess court includes heroines from many of the studio’s movies, including Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin’s Jasmine. The line-up is used to promote Disney to a female audience and sales are worth more than £2billion a year.
Miss Chapman, who modelled the feisty Scottish heroine on her own daughter, said: ‘Disney marketing and the powers that be that allow them to do such things should be ashamed of themselves.
‘When little girls say they like it (the new image) because it’s more sparkly, that’s all fine and good but, subconsciously they are soaking in the sexy “come hither” look and the skinny aspect of the new version. It’s horrible.’