Disney: Newest princess not really Latina

Princess Sofia will have her debut in the TV movie "Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess" airing Nov. 18 on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior. / Disney

LOS ANGELES The Walt Disney Company has stirred up controversy by saying their newest princess is Latina -- and then saying the announcement was a mistake.

A new character named Sofia will star in the TV movie "Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess" airing Nov. 18 on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior and an upcoming TV series. During a recent press tour, executive producer Jamie Mitchell explained to the crowd that the princess is Latina. However, since then, the company has retracted their earlier statements, saying the producer made a mistake by labeling the newest princess Hispanic.

"Contrary to news reports last week and earlier this week about Disney Channel's "Sofia the First," the character Princess Sofia is not Latina or from any other real-world culture. A producer misspoke when he identified the character(s) as Latina," a spokesperson for the Disney Channel told CBSNews.com in a statement.

"While culture and/or ethnicity are not the focus of the stories in "Sofia the First," the producer's comment about the character's "back-story" created confusion in recent news reports because in the creative brief that informs the scripts, Sofia's mother is originally from the made up land of "Galdiz," an enchanted kingdom the writers created using cultural influences from Spain. Sofia's dad came from an enchanted kingdom, "Freezenburg," one that the writers created using some cultural influences of Scandinavia."

Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said that Nancy Kanter, senior vice president of original programming for Disney Junior, met with the group further discuss the issue. In a statement on the group's Facebook page, he said Kanter told him that Sofia is not a Latina character and the producer of the Disney show "misspoke."

"They seem to be backpedaling," said Lisa Navarrete, spokeswoman for the National Council of La Raza. "They've done such a good job in the past when they've introduced Native American, African-American and Asian princesses. They made a big deal out of it, and there was a lot of fanfare, but now they're sort of scrambling. It's unusual because Disney has been very good about Latino diversity."

Craig Gerber, co-executive producer of "Sofia the First," clarified in a Facebook post on Friday that Sofia is "a mixed-heritage princess in a fairytale world." He said her mother and birth father respectively hail from kingdoms inspired by Spain and Scandinavia, though Sofia was born and raised in Enchancia, a "make-believe 'melting pot' kingdom" patterned after the British Isles.

Sofia is voiced by Caucasian "Modern Family" actress Ariel Winter, and her mother is played by Hispanic "Grey's Anatomy" actress Sara Ramirez.

The film and a subsequent TV series will follow the young princess as she adjusts to royal life after her mother marries the king of Enchancia.

"Sofia considers herself a normal Enchancian girl like any other," said Gerber. "Her mixed heritage and blended family are a reflection of what many children today experience."

"Sofia's world reflects the ethnically diverse world we live in, but it is not our world," Kanter added. "It is a fairytale and storybook world that we hope will help spur a child's imagination. It's one where we can have flying horses, schools led by fairies, songs that have a Latin beat and towns with markets like those found in North Africa."

The "Sofia the First" series, which set to debut next year, will also include storylines about a holiday called Wassailia, which is reminiscent of a Scandinavian Christmas; and the characters would go on a picnic in Wei-Ling, an Asian-inspired kingdom, Kanter explained.

The door isn't closed on a Latina heroine: Disney Channel confirmed to CBSNews.com that there is TV series for kids ages 2-7 in early development for Disney Junior that will feature a Latina star.

Nogales said in his statement that the NHMC will sent a list of writers from their writer's program for the project. Disney explained that the NHMC is not involved in the project, but the company is taking the group's suggestions into consideration in order to help keep goals consistent with creating "authentic, three-dimensional" Hispanic characters.

"We accept the clarification and celebrate the good news that Disney Junior has an exciting project in early development that does have a Latina as the heroine of the show," Nogales wrote.

Marcela Davison Aviles, the CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corporation and the cultural consultant on Disney Channel's "Handy Manny," said that Disney has celebrated Latino culture in the past including a 30-plus year celebration of traditional Mexican music at Epcot Center and through supporting training programs with groups such as the National Hispanic Media Coalition. However, the use of the word Latina to describe a girl whose mother was from a ficticious country influenced by Spain was incorrect to begin with.

"In my opinion, use of the term 'Latina' by one individual associated with the production to refer to a character whose heritage is influenced by European cultures was unfortunate because it is not an accurate use of the term as many in our community understand its meaning - but I believe this error was a well-meaning attempt to celebrate diversity - and I can assure you Disney leadership embraces the complexity, diversity, and beauty of our Latino/Hispano/Indigenous community," Davison Aviles said in a statement.

"I'll bet folks at the company are using this as a teachable moment to improve on that effort," said Davison Aviles. "I'm looking forward to meeting Sofia and to Disney's future efforts to illuminate our diverse melting pot, including the varied colors which thread our tapestry of Latino identity."

Over the past two decades, Disney has introduced such culturally diverse female protagonists as Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Merida and Tiana, the African-American princess from 2009's "Princess and the Frog." Disney's 2000 animated film "The Emperor's New Groove" and its subsequent spin-offs were set amid the Incan Empire in South America.

"Little girls look to these characters to see themselves represented," said Navarrete. "If they don't see themselves, it makes a difference. It would be nice to see Disney make a full-out push for a Latina princess, whether it's 'Sofia the First' or not."

[writewatsright]

Complete comment: (sorry about the multiple posting...my bad)

As a Jew, I feel strongly obliged to comment on this matter with the hope that I reach whatever audience is within reading distance.

No one, including and especially, Latinos have a right to define who and what the Spanish are. The Spanish were the exclusive Hispanics until the United States Government began politically mandating that that word be applied to all Latin Americans in the USA regardless of their race.? The Spanish are white, Caucasian and they are not, per se, racially mixed. Clearly, a Spaniard mixed with another European ethnicity is a white person.? Whites in America have always had mixed European heritages and many of those whites are indeed Hispanic, and there is nothing odd about that.

Also, this matter is not simply about an animation or about a fantasy character. What makes this matter compelling is that this matter has highlighted the fact that there are indeed American organizations that claim to promote?civil rights that are actually promoting racism. Indeed, from a reading of articles on the internet addressing with this matter, it does look like the organizations La Raza and the Mexican Heritage Corporation have taken on a new cause--to attach a mixed-racial connotation to the label Hispanic. Thus, the pot calling the kettle black with civil rights organizations treating whites as if they were a kind of second-class-white, and history has taught us that this argument promotes racism.

I wonder if the readers of of this article have ever heard of "der Sturmer? German Jews were promoted by der Sturmer cartoons as having specific Jewish RACIAL features. In addition, the existence of racial Jewish features was also strongly reinforced in the schools. To the readers, I say, visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC and research the roots-of-hate that occurred BEFORE the Holocaust.?

"...Over time, one important feature of the cartoons depicting Jews was that they were included on practically every front page of the newspaper [this would be the same as a weekly or daily TV show or movies]. It's often easy to dismiss these visual images as being essentially harmless and insignificant, but this misses the very real power and impact that cartoons [or animations] could have. In many ways, cartoons provide a potent vehicle for quickly and effectively getting across a message.

There are a number of specific reasons for this. "First, cartoons can often be humorous. Hate and (racism) is generally more palatable when presented as humor. People are often more willing to accept ... stereotypes, and prejudices when presented in a cartoon. Humor is thus a perfect way to convey the kinds of anti-Semitic attitudes and beliefs that were such a destructive component of the German Nazi ideology. Second, cartoons are quick and easy to read and are easily understood. It doesn't take any time at all to glance at a cartoon and get its message. This was especially true for Der Sturmer, whose images were very obvious and clear...Streicher (the owner of the newspaper) survived the war, only to be put on trial at Nuremberg...His trial and execution were a testament to the power of his newspaper. It's striking that he was never in a position of national power and had not held an important national office within the government. "

So, to all of the readers and patrons of CBS, (as a Jew) I ask that you turn a new chapter and accept the whiteness of the Spanish as being equal to the whiteness of any European. What is important dear readers, is not whether a person is white or non white--let the Spanish self describe as white, it is their right. What is important is that Latinos rise to the occasion, stand tall, and finally define ONLY YOUR personal racial makeup. What matters is your RIGHT to self define your race and not whether some representative of some organization can define it for you.

[writewatsright]

So, to all of the readers and patrons of CBS, (as a Jew) I ask that you turn a new chapter and accept the whiteness of the Spanish as being equal to the whiteness of any European. What is important dear readers, is not whether a person is white or non white--let the Spanish self describe as white, it is their right. What is important is that Latinos rise to the occasion, stand tall, and finally define ONLY YOUR personal racial makeup. What matters is your RIGHT to self define your race and not whether some representative of some organization can define it for you.

[writewatsright]

There are a number of specific reasons for this. "First, cartoons can often be humorous. Hate and (racism) is generally more palatable when presented as humor. People are often more willing to accept ... stereotypes, and prejudices when presented in a cartoon. Humor is thus a perfect way to convey the kinds of anti-Semitic attitudes and beliefs that were such a destructive component of the German Nazi ideology. Second, cartoons are quick and easy to read and are easily understood. It doesn't take any time at all to glance at a cartoon and get its message. This was especially true for Der Sturmer, whose images were very obvious and clear...Streicher (the owner of the newspaper) survived the war, only to be put on trial at Nuremberg...His trial and execution were a testament to the power of his newspaper. It's striking that he was never in a position of national power and had not held an important national office within the government. "

[writewatsright]

I wonder if the readers of of this article have ever heard of "der Sturmer? German Jews were promoted by der Sturmer cartoons as having specific Jewish RACIAL features. In addition, the existence of racial Jewish features was also strongly reinforced in the schools. To the readers, I say, visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC and research the roots-of-hate that occurred BEFORE the Holocaust.?

"...Over time, one important feature of the cartoons depicting Jews was that they were included on practically every front page of the newspaper [this would be the same as a weekly or daily TV show or movies]. It's often easy to dismiss these visual images as being essentially harmless and insignificant, but this misses the very real power and impact that cartoons [or animations] could have. In many ways, cartoons provide a potent vehicle for quickly and effectively getting across a message.
to be continued ...look for my name

[writewatsright]

Also, this matter is not simply about an animation or about a fantasy character. What makes this matter compelling is that this matter has highlighted the fact that there are indeed American organizations that claim to promote?civil rights that are actually promoting racism. Indeed, from a reading of articles on the internet addressing with this matter, it does look like the organizations La Raza and the Mexican Heritage Corporation have taken on a new cause--to attach a mixed-racial connotation to the label Hispanic. Thus, the pot calling the kettle black with civil rights organizations treating whites as if they were a kind of second-class-white, and history has taught us that this argument promotes racism.
to be continued..look for my name

[writewatsright]

First to be clear. Caucasian skin tone includes olive it's just that it is light olive. Most Jews have olive skin and yes, they are white.

As a Jew, I feel strongly obliged to comment on this matter with the hope that I reach whatever audience is within reading distance.

No one, including and especially, Latinos have a right to define who and what the Spanish are. The Spanish were the exclusive Hispanics until the United States Government began politically mandating that that word be applied to all Latin Americans in the USA regardless of their race.? The Spanish are white, Caucasian and they are not, per se, racially mixed. Clearly, a Spaniard mixed with another European ethnicity is a white person.? Whites in America have always had mixed European heritages and many of those whites are indeed Hispanic, and there is nothing odd about that.
to be continued..look for my name

[HM8432]

This whole affair is pathetic. In places like Spain, Argentina, and Uraguay, there are plenty of lily-white, blue-eyed Spanish speaking Latinas running around. The notion that Hispanics ONLY have dark skin, brown eyes, and perhaps black hair is itself racist! Disney would be wise to stop being Politically Correct, and go back to making the quality entertainment that they used to make decades ago, but no longer.

[Ulgnud]

Well this is what happens when you play politically correct diversity games. Maybe Disney will get smart and go back to making simply good movies with a good plot. What we in the USA look on as Hispanic is typically people who have ancestral origins from Central and South America. Those people are a blend of the Spaniards who settled there and the indigenous Indian folks who were there. Thus the olive skin and darker hair. There are many Spanish ladies in Spain who do have a fair complexion, light hair, and blue eyes. As this "Princess" is supposed to have Spanish and Scandinavian roots it is not surprising her appearance reflects that. Why not simply enjoy the show if it turns out to be good, and stop the silly fuss over nothing.

[hypnotoad72]

So it's Jon Benet Ramsey with darker colored hair.

Whee.