Balanced Opinion

The Centre Ground is Soggy But Firm: Thoughts on a Black Skinned Mermaid

Here’s how to swim to the centre ground after Disney’s latest woke and inclusive or ’political correctness gone mad’ casting.

The internet has exploded. They’ve cast a black woman as Ariel, the red headed mermaid in their new and (following the trend) fairly bland live action movie. Liberals are elated. This is what progress looks like! Disney are brave. Disney are bold! The world is changing.

And then the backlash began with #NotMyAriel, which sounds like a grip about TV coversage. The character was drawn white in 1989, this is a travesty. Ginger people are under-represented in the industry anyway. This is political correctness gone mad!

Somewhere in Denmark, there’s probably a ginger girl who always goes to fancy dress parties as Ariel. This was her time to shine and it’s been robbed by a girl who, by rights should be playing Tiana from the Princess and the Frog.

But before the Twitter whirlwind escalates out of control and the battle lines are drawn for the seven billionth time this year.