Backlash For Disney’s Hispanic-Influenced Princess

Disney is receiving backlash for its new Hispanic-influenced princess who Hispanic advocacy groups are saying does not accurately represent the Hispanic population.

Disney’s Hispanic-influenced princess named Sofia will be the star of the TV movie Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess, which will air on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior on November 18, the Associated Pressreports.

The Hispanic-influenced princess is fair-skinned and blue-eyed, and many advocacy groups are wondering why Disney is not doing more to promote an accurate Hispanic princess.

Spokeswoman Lisa Navarrete from the National Council of La Raza spoke with the press:

“They seem to be backpedaling. 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.”

Although Sofia has been assumed to be of Hispanic influence, the co-executive producer of Sofia the First, Craig Gerber said in a Facebook post that Sofia is “a mixed-heritage princess in a fairytale world.”

According to the post, Sofia’s mother is from a kingdom inspired by Spain and her birth father is from a kingdom inspired by Scandinavia. However, Sofia is raised in Enchancia, which is supposed to be a “make-believe ‘melting pot’ kingdom.”

E Onlinereported Disney had originally presented Sofia as being the first Latina princess but now has reverted to saying she is not Latina at all.

Disney has yet to introduce a Hispanic-influenced princess, and many have questioned their reluctance.