Disneyland is preparing to nix a scene on the Pirates of Caribbean ride where captive, tied-up women are auctioned off as brides. The park says the ride will be shut down temporarily on April 23 to make the changes.
The ride currently takes visitors on small boats past a scene of unhappy women waiting to be sold under a large banner that reads “Auction: Take a wench for a bride.” The new scene will showcase a female pirate overseeing the auction of local loot.
The Mercury Times reports the public has had mixed reactions to the news:
“Disneyland needs to reflect the times, and it seems to me this is the time to change it,” blogger Dusty Sage of the Micechat.com forum said. “It’s uncomfortable even for me to see women being sold into bondage and human trafficking. I can’t even imagine what little girls think about this.
It seems to me that Disney was just ahead of the curve on all this ‘Me Too’ movement, because they announced this change last summer.”
Not everyone agrees with the change, though, including unofficial Disneyland historian and author David Koenig, who said “this one really irks me — but does not surprise me.”
“The bride auction is being removed because Disney is lily-livered,” Koenig said. “No one is really offended by animatronic pirates acting lusty. It’s in-character silliness. I don’t advocate gunplay, thievery, alcoholism or sexism, but I’m still able to enjoy a show in which pirates behave like pirates.”
This is the second time the Pirates of Caribbean ride has been updated to make it more in tune with current societal values. In 1997 the park changed a scene where lusty pirates chased after women with the implication that they would be assaulted.
Despite outcry from some who want to see the ride stay the same, Sage points out that “They are pirates, and pirates rape and pillage and plunder, but how much of that is appropriate for a theme park ride? The temptation is to be afraid of any change and I love tradition, but this is a case where they have to change.”
Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.
A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.