Just when you thought body shaming and female objectification couldn’t get any worse, a new twist on an old fairy tale paired with a questionable advertisement is proving you so, so wrong. The reboot in question? A Snow White movie called Red Shoes and the 7 Dwarfs.
One notable celeb taking issue with the film’s promotion is Tess Holliday, a model who is all about body positivity. She wasn’t going to let this one fly, and once you see the ad, you’ll understand why.
Holliday took to Twitter, posting a photo of the advertisement that reads: “What if Snow White was no longer beautiful and the 7 Dwarfs not so short?” The question is accompanied by two animated images of Snow White, one standing tall and thin, the other appearing shorter and curvier. Holliday captioned the photo, “How did this get approved by an entire marketing team? Why is it okay to tell young kids being fat = ugly?” Holliday also made a point to tag Chloë Grace Moretz, who is lending her voice to the character of Snow White.
How did this get approved by an entire marketing team? Why is it okay to tell young kids being fat = ugly? @ChloeGMoretz pic.twitter.com/PVhgwluGTM
— Tess Holliday (@Tess_Holliday) May 30, 2017
The film is about “a Princess who doesn’t fit into the celebrity world of Princesses—or their dress size,” according to the animation studio’s website. The red shoes pictured in the ad have the power to make Snow White taller and thinner when they’re worn, a blatantly obvious example of body shaming because apparently, that is what’s considered “beautiful.”
And the trailer, which has been removed from YouTube, was no better, as it featured a scene in the movie where two dwarves eagerly watch Snow White undress only to be horrified to see a shorter and bigger version of the princess once the shoes come off. And yes, it’s as creepy as it sounds.
Moretz has since spoken out about the film’s marketing in a series of tweets. “I am just as appalled and angry as everyone else,” she wrote. “The actual story is powerful for young women and resonated with me. I am sorry for the offense that was beyond my creative control.”
I have now fully reviewed the mkting for Red Shoes, I am just as appalled and angry as everyone else, this wasn’t approved by me or my team
— Chloë Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) May 31, 2017
Pls know I have let the producers of the film know. I lent my voice to a beautiful script that I hope you will all see in its entirety https://t.co/IOIXYZTc3g
— Chloë Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) May 31, 2017
The actual story is powerful for young women and resonated with me. I am sorry for the offense that was beyond my creative control https://t.co/HZP2ydPCAX
— Chloë Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) May 31, 2017
Instead of shaming, sexualizing and objectifying women (the title refers to Snow White as a pair of red shoes, for crying out loud), we’re hoping that this film has a lot more to offer and will redeem itself from this huge blunder.
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