This rant about the Little Mermaid racism row doesn’t go where you think it’s going

Oonagh Keating. Updated September 16th, 2022

Next year, Disney will release the live-action remake of its classic cartoon The Little Mermaid, with the title character, Ariel, played by an American actress and singer of colour, Halle Bailey.

Out of the sea, wish I could be… part of that world.

Disney's The Little Mermaid is coming to theaters May 26, 2023. pic.twitter.com/lUw5BmYRK5

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) September 9, 2022

This collection of reactions to the trailer shows just what that representation means – and it gets you right in the feels.

‘She’s like me!’ — These reactions to the recently released ‘The Little Mermaid’ teaser featuring Halle Bailey will absolutely melt your heart ♥️ pic.twitter.com/sizjfzNjPv

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 13, 2022

As you could probably have predicted, some people don’t feel so positive. They left comments like this –

And this –

The backlash got its own backlash.

People are mad that The Little Mermaid is Black? The lady who is also a fish? Who lives under the sea? Whose best friend is a talking crab?

— Lynda Carter (@RealLyndaCarter) September 13, 2022

"Well the original little mermai-"

The original The Little Mermaid is a queer man's self-insertion character, longing to be able to be in a relationship with another man, and at the end the mermaid dies.

You don't care about the original, mate.

— Nome (@NomeDaBarbarian) September 12, 2022

The problem is that canonically Ariel’s bottom half is cod, whereas in this new trailer she appears to be half mahi-mahi—yet another example of the Left’s “woke” anti-whitefish agenda.

— Frank Lesser (@sadmonsters) September 13, 2022

TikToker jay.kue weighed in on the controversy. Watch to the end.

@jay.kue Its honestly disgusting and cultural theft of the highest order. #arielisblack #littlemermaidtrailer #disneyprincesses #blindreactionchallenge #hallebailey #blackrepresentation #littlemermaid #whitejesus #brownjesus #jesusisntwhite ♬ Under the Sea (Instrumental) [From "The Little Mermaid"] – London Music Works