Disneyland Cast Member Appears To Dress In Drag To Greet Children At The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
John F. Trent
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A Disneyland cast member was filmed in drag greeting young children and their parents at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in the Anaheim, California theme park.
Mickey Mouse waves in front of Cinderella’s Castle via Disney Parks YouTube
The video was originally shared to TikTok by user Kourtnifaber.
In the video the Disneyland cast member greets one young girl saying, “My name is Nick. I’m one of the Fairy Godmother’s apprentices. I’m here to shop you around and make all your selections for the day.”
@kourtnifaber A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep 👑 ✨ #disneyland #bibbidibobbidiboutique #corememory ♬ original sound – Kourtni
As explained by the official Disneyland website, the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique allows parents to purchase from a number of different packages where children are transformed through outfits, hair styles, makeup, nail polish, and more into “elegant princesses and shining knights.”
A photo on the website also makes it clear that female and male cast members previously had separate costumes with female cast members wearing dresses and a male cast member wearing a tuxedo vest and slacks.
Screenshot of Disneyland’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique website
The video comes after The Walt Disney Company changed the titles of cast members working at The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World from Fairy Godmothers in Training to Fairy Godmother’s Apprentices.
WDW News Today reported back in July 2022 the title change was made “to create a more inclusive environment for guests and Cast.”
Disney Parks, YouTube
Last February journalist Christopher F. Rufo shared leaked recordings of The Walt Disney Company’s Reimagine Tomorrow meeting where the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Vivian Ware revealed the company was putting the kibosh on gendered greetings.
She said, “Last summer we removed all of the gendered greetings in relationship to our live spiels.”
“So we no longer say, ‘Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls.’ We provided training for all of our cast members in relationship to that. So now they know it’s, ‘Hello, everyone’ or ‘Hello, friends,’” Ware explained.
Disney employees participate in OC Pride Parade via Disney Parks YouTube
Not only did they remove gendered greetings, but Ware also revealed they were planning on changing all of the recorded messages throughout the park as well.
She detailed, “We’re in the process of changing over those recorded messages, and so many of you are probably familiar when we brought the fireworks back to the Magic Kingdom, we no longer say, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,’ We say, ‘Dreamers of all ages.'”
“So I love the fact that it’s opened up the creativity, the opportunity for our cast members to look at that. We have our cast members working with merchandise, working with food and beverage, working with all of our guest-facing areas, where perhaps we want to create that magical moment with our cast members, with our guests,” she said.
Ware then added, “And we don’t want to just assume because someone might be, in our interpretation, may be presenting as female, that they may not want to be called ‘princess.’ So, let’s think differently about how do we really engage with our guests in a meaningful and inclusive way that makes it magical and memorable for everyone.”
SCOOP: Disney diversity and inclusion manager Vivian Ware says the company has eliminated all mentions of “ladies,” “gentlemen,” “boys,” and “girls” in its theme parks in order to create “that magical moment” for children who do not identify with traditional gender roles. pic.twitter.com/OWsGTUoeCA
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) March 29, 2022
The company’s previous CEO Bob Chapek also indicated they were in favor of exposing young children to teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity through their content programming by opposing a bill in Florida that eventually banned such teaching to children in kindergarten through third grade.
In an email sent to Disney employees, Chapek wrote, “Because this struggle is much bigger than any one bill in any one state, I believe the best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create, and the diverse community organizations we support.”
“There’s a reason content is at the top of this list. For nearly a century, our company’s stories have opened minds, inspired dreams, shown the world both as it is and how we wish it could be, and now more than ever before, represent the incredible diversity of our society. We are telling important stories, raising voices, and I believe, changing hearts and minds,” he added.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: (L-R) Christine McCarthy, CFO of The Walt Disney Company, Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer of Disney, Kareem Daniel, Chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution and Louis D’Esposito attend the Thor: Love and Thunder World Premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in [Hollywood], California on June 23, 2022. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)
“We must work together to ensure Disney always remains such a place,” Chapek declared.
Producer Kevin Feige and Bob Chapek attend the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness World Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Monday, May 2, 2022.
(photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
What do you make of Disneyland allowing what appears to be a male cast member wearing a dress and greeting young children?
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