“Disney’s storytelling has to a large extent reflected dominant cultural values at any given time”

Disney is trying to decide what to be in the future, and the debate is not only internal but very sensitive to the views of the hundreds of millions who make up its global audience.

On a purely corporate level, The Walt Disney Company is undergoing an “unprecedented transformation” to “restructure the company and restore creativity”, CEO Bob Iger said in August. The reality is that the company has laid off 7,000 workers, while Disney+, its flagship, has lost 15 million subscribers in 6 months.

But Disney is much more than a company: it is a global symbol of entertainment. Its content is no longer limited to children’s audiences but includes major professional sports leagues and adult-oriented series.

The empire, founded by Walt Elias Disney in 1923 and known for its amusement parks since the 1950s, has for some time now also been a recurring element in the so-called cultural battle. Its tax battle with the state of Florida, where Disney World, the world’s largest entertainment complex is located, is well known.

And for some years now, Disney has been accused by some of having become a champion of promoting new values among children in the area of sexual orientation and identity.

“As a leading global entertainer, Disney produces its own media stories, owns other major media outlets, runs many theme parks, and sells huge amounts of merchandise”, says Margunn Serigstad Dahle, Associate Professor in Communication and Worldview at NLA University College in Kristiansand (Norway), who has researched for years the values and worldviews in the Disney universe.

In answers to Evangelical Focus, the Christian lecturer shared her perceptions about the controversies surrounding the “multifaceted phenomenon” that Disney has become over the decades.

Question. Disney has become a regular feature of political and cultural debate in recent months, particularly in the United States, accused of pushing a left-wing agenda. What is the truth of these accusations?

Answer. Disney is a multifaceted phenomenon. It is therefore helpful to distinguish between Disney as a registered American company and Disney as a global entertainer. 

As an American company, Disney is primarily located in Florida and in California, employing thousands of people and relating to communities and governments in these two states of the US. A deep conflict has emerged between The Walt Disney Company and conservative Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida. The fight began over a new education law (the “Parental Rights in Education Act”) related to the prohibition of teaching sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary school. As a result of internal and external pressures, the Disney company protested against this conservative law, a response which many would consider as left-wing. The fight has now developed into a feud about oversight of land in Florida that includes the amusement park Disney World.

Q. You have just visited Disney World in Florida again recently.

A. Yes, during my visit this summer, I observed the politically correct change from the traditional greeting “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls” to “Welcome, dreamers of all ages”, when at the evening show Happily Ever After. Beyond that, there were no clear indications of an overall liberal agenda.

What is obvious, however, is that the ongoing commitment to individualism within the Disney universe is increasingly becoming marked by expressive individualism. This view holds that we as human beings are defined by our individual psychological core, and that the purpose of life is allowing that core to find social expression in relationships.

Q. The company has specialised for many years in offering family-friendly products, but has also been accused of promoting racist, classist or misogynistic views in the past. Has Disney done anything to change this perception and how?

A. From the very beginning in 1923, Walt Disney wanted to offer enjoyable entertainment for the whole family. The early stories were based on key Judeo-Christian values, thus reflecting dominant values in the American society at the time. However, the stories were open-ended in terms of religious beliefs, as Disney did not want to identify one specific belief or worldview as true. His intention was to make the stories attractive to everyone, regardless of their personal religious commitments.

As a result of the company’s consumer-oriented approach, Disney’s storytelling has to a large extent reflected dominant cultural values at any given time, also regarding the descriptions of ethnicities, classes, and women. Thus, typical racist, classist and misogynistic attitudes were included in many of the older stories. In order to address this heritage, critical introductory remarks which highlight such attitudes now accompany older stories. I consider such remarks as helpful, providing that they are balanced and fair.

Q. Many Christians agree with the phrase “get woke, go broke” and point out that Disney is making losses because of its progressive approach to the stories it tells. Do you think this could change the company’s approach to certain issues?

“From a Christian perspective, we can affirm many values in Disney stories, while challenging others such as the mixed messages about what it means to be human”

Q. In what ways could Christians shed some light on this highly politicised and polarized debate, and is there a way to interact with cultural products other than ‘total rejection’ or ‘total agreement’?

A. As Christians we need to develop and practice a balanced approach to media and popular culture, where we both affirm whatever is good, true, and beautiful, and challenge whatever is bad, false, and ugly. The English evangelical leader John Stott coined this approach “double listening – to the Word and to the world”. This key approach has to be applied to the Disney universe as well.

From a Christian perspective, we can affirm many values in Disney stories, such as showing compassion and kindness, not judging people by race or appearance, doing one’s duties, being faithful, taking on responsibility, having courage, being self-sacrificing, standing against evil, taking care of the environment, being slow to anger, and willing to forgive and being tolerant.

At the same time, as Christians we need to challenge other values and attitudes in many Disney stories. There are mixed messages about what it means to be human. For instance, the focus on external beauty, image and success that can be found in many stories, is in tension with biblical values. The focus on being true to oneself and following one’s own heart is ambiguous, since we both want to confirm the importance of deciding for oneself as well as confronting the individualistic ideology in the stories and the self-centredness in every human being.

This illustrates the urgent need to have open and engaging conversations about media stories in our families, churches, and schools. We need to talk more across generations about how to relate “the Word and the world”, also when watching Disney stories, visiting Disney theme parks, or using Disney merchandise.