IT is a centuries-old fairy tale re-told in a Disney classic, but Snow White is now facing being "cancelled" amid a row over a non-consensual “true love’s kiss”.

 

Snow White?

First published in 1812 by German folklorists The Brothers Grimm, Snow White became widely-known around the world. Young readers have long been entranced by the fairy tale of a beautiful princess who is exiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, only to be rescued by seven dwarf miners.

 

So what’s happening now?

The Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California, recently revamped one of its original rides - Snow White’s Scary Adventure - which it revealed to the public at the park’s reopening last week. It is now known as “Snow White’s Enchanted Wish” and takes guests on a mine cart ride that follows Snow White on her journey.

 

It was praised?

The revamp received immediate praise for its upgrades, including new music, animation and visual technology, such as laser projections and LED lights.

 

However?

One aspect hasn’t been well received by all - the grand-finale of the tale, where Prince Charming kisses Snow White to wake her with a “true love’s kiss” after she bites a poisoned blood-red apple that has sent her into a sleeping death. The San Francisco Gate newspaper praised the “really good” revamped ride, but said the ending features “a kiss he gives to her without her consent, while she’s asleep, which cannot possibly be true love if only one person knows it’s happening”.

 

But it’s the same ending as the movie?

Exactly the same. The 1937 Disney classic - which was the first Disney animated feature - does indeed end with the prince learning of Snow White's eternal sleep and kissing her to break the spell.

 

The writers called for Disney to rethink the finale?

The newspaper wrote: “Haven’t we already agreed that consent in early Disney movies is a major issue? That teaching kids that kissing, when it hasn’t been established if both parties are willing to engage, is not OK? It’s hard to understand why the Disneyland of 2021 would choose to add a scene with such old fashioned ideas of what a man is allowed to do to a woman…Why not re-imagine an ending in keeping with the spirit of the movie and Snow White’s place in the Disney canon, but that avoids this problem?”

 

So Snow White could be “cancelled”?

Dating expert Nichi Hodgson was among those calling for change. She said Disney "has a responsibility to change the plot line".

 

Not everyone agrees, though?

On Good Morning Britain, presenter Susanna Reid was flabbergasted. She said: "I mean, really? Are we also going to update it so it doesn't have all of those animals able to do sort of superhuman things? Are we also going to change it so you don't give poisoned apples to people that you don't like? You know, this is Disney. It's not real life."