Moviegoers Beware
Disney's latest animated feature, "Meet the Robinsons," is causing quite a stir in the adoption community, prompting some organizations to issue a warning to parents of all children and another group to call for an "urgent meeting" with Walt Disney Pictures to discuss what they consider "negative adoption messages" in the film.
Vicki Peterson, executive director for external affairs for Wide Horizons for Children Inc., sent a letter to her clients, warning them about the movie. The letter is being widely circulated via the Internet and e-mail. Here is an excerpt:
"The movie is filled with extraordinarily inappropriate messages about adoption. The basic story is about an adorable baby whose birthmother leaves him on the doorstep of an orphanage. Portrayed as loving, sweet, extremely smart and overly appealing, he spends the next 12 years of his life wanting a family and being turned down by one family after another - in all, 114 couples refuse to adopt him. One scene shows a prospective dad losing interest in adoption because this very smart little boy is more interested in science than sports. The prospective parents leave the disappointed child in a huff when he accidentally splatters them with some liquid from his science project. This is supposed to be funny.
"Since no one else wants him, the child invents a time machine in order to go back in time to find his birth mother. The 'bad guy' in his time travel journey turns out to be his best buddy from childhood, once his orphanage roommate. Now an emotional wreck resulting from being left behind when the orphanage was closed and shut down, the once-cute orphan is now mean and devious. Another chuckle. Various monsters attack the child as he continues his birth mother search. You get the picture!
"I found 'Meet the Robinsons' to be both tasteless and totally insensitive regarding adoption issues. Please think very carefully before taking your child to see it, whether adopted or not. I will write the Disney Corporation to let them know about my concerns about their flippant way of dealing with issues that are extremely important and not funny for millions of adoptees and their families in this country and around the world. "
Another organization, The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, Monday called for an "urgent meeting" with Disney to discuss "the potentially negative impact on children and families."
The institute said the movie has been strongly criticized by the adoption community because of its "insensitive portrayal of adoption and, in particular, of an orphaned child."
"I'm sure the filmmakers were well-intentioned, but their apparent lack of understanding about the realities of orphanage life (and of the effects of rejection on children) led to a storyline that is upsetting many adopted boys and girls, particularly ones who spent time in orphanages themselves," Adam Pertman, executive director of the institute, said in a prepared statement. "Many parents, practitioners and mental-health professionals also are worried about the impact the movie could have on children who still need loving, permanent homes and on the public's general perceptions of adoption."
The institute noted that it has received numerous complaints about the movie since it opened last month.
Not all adoption organizations took such offense to the movie.
A representative from Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency said on www.blogger.thenest.com that the staff was "happy with the outcome of the movie which showed adoption as a positive message."
The Bethany rep wrote: "While we believe the movie in most aspects played a good balance between the sensitivity of adoption and child-focused humor, there are a couple parts of the movie that concerned us a bit. The fact that the movie starts in "modern-time" and has an orphanage in the U.S. and a birthmother who leaves her baby in a basket at the doorstep are both simply not realistic today and were only true in the U.S. many decades ago. We don't hold any of these parts against the film as we understand these parts are important in creating a compelling story that is also simple enough for children to follow.
"Overall, we think it is an excellent movie that we hope is very successful in theaters. "
Actor Tom Selleck, who does voice over for the movie, told The Associated Press on the red carpet of the movie's premiere:"I think the theme of the movie is about family. I think the subject will appeal to adults as well as kids, but it is a very positive message and I really like that."
The Diaper Diva has not seen this movie, and has no plans to. (My son, Hendrick, is too young to sit through a feature animation.) I just ask that you think twice about bringing your children to see a movie that may put an inaccurate portrayal of foster children, adoption and birthmothers into their impressionable little heads. As we all know, once a stereotype forms inside our brains, often the only way it lets itself out is through ignorant comments and hurtful remarks.
Vicki Peterson, executive director for external affairs for Wide Horizons for Children Inc., sent a letter to her clients, warning them about the movie. The letter is being widely circulated via the Internet and e-mail. Here is an excerpt:
"The movie is filled with extraordinarily inappropriate messages about adoption. The basic story is about an adorable baby whose birthmother leaves him on the doorstep of an orphanage. Portrayed as loving, sweet, extremely smart and overly appealing, he spends the next 12 years of his life wanting a family and being turned down by one family after another - in all, 114 couples refuse to adopt him. One scene shows a prospective dad losing interest in adoption because this very smart little boy is more interested in science than sports. The prospective parents leave the disappointed child in a huff when he accidentally splatters them with some liquid from his science project. This is supposed to be funny.
"Since no one else wants him, the child invents a time machine in order to go back in time to find his birth mother. The 'bad guy' in his time travel journey turns out to be his best buddy from childhood, once his orphanage roommate. Now an emotional wreck resulting from being left behind when the orphanage was closed and shut down, the once-cute orphan is now mean and devious. Another chuckle. Various monsters attack the child as he continues his birth mother search. You get the picture!
"I found 'Meet the Robinsons' to be both tasteless and totally insensitive regarding adoption issues. Please think very carefully before taking your child to see it, whether adopted or not. I will write the Disney Corporation to let them know about my concerns about their flippant way of dealing with issues that are extremely important and not funny for millions of adoptees and their families in this country and around the world. "
Another organization, The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, Monday called for an "urgent meeting" with Disney to discuss "the potentially negative impact on children and families."
The institute said the movie has been strongly criticized by the adoption community because of its "insensitive portrayal of adoption and, in particular, of an orphaned child."
"I'm sure the filmmakers were well-intentioned, but their apparent lack of understanding about the realities of orphanage life (and of the effects of rejection on children) led to a storyline that is upsetting many adopted boys and girls, particularly ones who spent time in orphanages themselves," Adam Pertman, executive director of the institute, said in a prepared statement. "Many parents, practitioners and mental-health professionals also are worried about the impact the movie could have on children who still need loving, permanent homes and on the public's general perceptions of adoption."
The institute noted that it has received numerous complaints about the movie since it opened last month.
Not all adoption organizations took such offense to the movie.
A representative from Bethany Christian Services Adoption Agency said on www.blogger.thenest.com that the staff was "happy with the outcome of the movie which showed adoption as a positive message."
The Bethany rep wrote: "While we believe the movie in most aspects played a good balance between the sensitivity of adoption and child-focused humor, there are a couple parts of the movie that concerned us a bit. The fact that the movie starts in "modern-time" and has an orphanage in the U.S. and a birthmother who leaves her baby in a basket at the doorstep are both simply not realistic today and were only true in the U.S. many decades ago. We don't hold any of these parts against the film as we understand these parts are important in creating a compelling story that is also simple enough for children to follow.
"Overall, we think it is an excellent movie that we hope is very successful in theaters. "
Actor Tom Selleck, who does voice over for the movie, told The Associated Press on the red carpet of the movie's premiere:"I think the theme of the movie is about family. I think the subject will appeal to adults as well as kids, but it is a very positive message and I really like that."
The Diaper Diva has not seen this movie, and has no plans to. (My son, Hendrick, is too young to sit through a feature animation.) I just ask that you think twice about bringing your children to see a movie that may put an inaccurate portrayal of foster children, adoption and birthmothers into their impressionable little heads. As we all know, once a stereotype forms inside our brains, often the only way it lets itself out is through ignorant comments and hurtful remarks.
3 Comments:
Thanks Nina for checking into this. I don't think people who have not gone through the adoption process understand the emotional baggage involved. Yes, we are providing a loving home for our child but that child always wants to know why. They need that validation from their birth parents and they are able to receive that now with open adoption plans.
Tiffany from Tennessee
I enjoy reading your columns and I suggest that you send your latest one to the Disney company!
You are right about your feelings about this movie and they should hear about it from you and every other mother or father of an adopted baby.
I have a nephew who's adopted, he's grown now, but even at his age now I wouldn't recommend he see that movie.
It seems Disney got it wrong this time and I hope they loose money on it!
I saw the movie last weekend and enjoyed it. I was surprised that so many people walked away with a negative portrayal of adoption. Yes, there were a few dramatizations made, but I walked away thinking that the true value of this movie was that families don't have to be "born", that they can be made when any individuals come together in the spirit of acceptance and love.
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