Disney has pulled a scene from their “Toy Story 2” bloopers following the #MeToo movement.
This scene will no longer be available on Blu-Ray and DVD downloads any longer.
The #MeToo movement was created to give sexual violence survivors a safe haven and an opportunity for people to confide in concerning their experience.
As the hashtag caught on around social media sites, the movement continued to grow as more and more people came out their with stories of being sexually assaulted.
The movement started 13 years ago but is still in full swing. The power of the movement from people coming together has invoked Disney to delete the insensitive blooper.
The scene focuses on Stinky Pete with two Barbie dolls in the box that he came in. He asks if they are identical and then tells them that he can get them a role in "Toy Story 3."
Disney absolutely made the right decision here. The Barbies were placed in a situation where they may feel obligated to commit sexual actions just to keep their positions in the workforce.
This joke implies that women in the businessworld need to give up their bodies to the men above them in rank in order to progress. Stinky Pete represents the men in the workforce who pressure women into committing sexual acts solely so women can advance their careers.
Some may feel people are reading too far into this. After all, it is just an animated movie by one of America’s most beloved production firms, right?
Wrong.
Perhaps it hits closer to home for people who have been sexually harassed in any form because the pressure is unbearable.
The mass amount of "Toy Story 2" fans weren’t the only ones who may have been made uncomfortable. Several of Disney’s female employees spoke up about their experiences and accused John Lasseter, a co-founder of Pixar, of sexual misconduct.
Lasseter took a sabbatical after accusations of sexual misconduct began to emerge in 2017 according to a CBS News report. In a company memo he acknowledged "missteps" that made his coworkers feel "disrespected or uncomfortable."
Although it is horrible Lasseter even committed these acts, he is no longer employed there. Disney is taking steps to change public perception of sexual misconduct in the workplace by removing this scene.
Too often men use their power from their business roles to take advantage of women in the workforce. Deleting inappropriate scenes joking about this unfair advantage is undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
Since the original "Toy Story" came out in 1995, the franchise has amassed a great deal of fans ranging from current younger kids to even parents and grandparents. With the recent release of "Toy Story 4", the hype around the beloved "Toy Story" characters will not stop yet.
Disney deciding to delete this scene not only shows maturity of the company but also sets a precedent for the movie industry to come. Jokes about sexual harassment will no longer be tolerated by film fans.
