Erin is a consultant on the new Snow White film (Picture: Erin Pritchard)
I was already anticipating the backlash.
It was recently announced that Disney’s live action remake of Snow White would no longer include seven dwarfs. In their place would be several magical creatures of all different genders, ethnicities and, most importantly, heights.
As a woman with dwarfism, this is a great change to see.
I wasn’t surprised though, as back in 2021 I was hired as a consultant for the film.
My job was to use my academic expertise, which is often influenced by my own experiences, to create a more enlightened and up to date representation of dwarfism.
The new film is a great opportunity to make changes and not reinforce problematic stereotypes of dwarfism, such as being seen as childish, figures of fun to be laughed at.
But I knew many people wouldn’t see it that way.
People with dwarfism experience a lot of social abuse, much of which was influenced by Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Piers Morgan’s Talk TV show featured dwarf wrestler and actor Dylan Postl, who has, in my view, taken part in derogatory forms of entertainment, such as portraying leprechauns, that ensure all of us remain within an inferior position with society.
Postl tried to claim that Disney’s live action remake, which seems to only feature one person with dwarfism, has put six other members of the community out of a job.
But it’s wrong to assume that people with dwarfism have to rely on the entertainment industry to find work. I have met many people with dwarfism, working in numerous occupations, such as teaching, medicine and law.
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However, there are some who do work in entertainment who don’t want to become a laughing stock to get a role.
Take Peter Dinklage, a multi award-winning actor with dwarfism who actually called out Disney’s remake as offensive before the changes were announced.
And everyone I’ve spoken to welcomes a change that does not encourage ridicule towards us.
But any move that promotes even the slightest bit of equality for minority groups is branded by some commentators as ‘PC gone mad’ or ‘woke’.
I have to ask: are those protesting about the new Snow White film aware that the 1937 animated classic, while seen as a definitive version of the story, remains unfaithful to the original fairytale?
Disney transformed the dwarfs, used them for comic relief, and unfortunately created one of the most recognised representations of dwarfism.(Picture: Snap/REX/Shutterstock )
Numerous parts of the original Brothers Grimm fairytale written in 1812, such as the ending where the Evil Queen is forced to dance in red hot iron slippers until she dies is not included in Disney’s animated classic.
Most importantly though, in the Brothers Grimm story, the dwarfs were not even given names or included in the story’s title.
However, Disney transformed the dwarfs, used them for comic relief, and unfortunately created one of the most recognised representations of dwarfism.
When conducting my doctoral research, I found that people with dwarfism experience a lot of social abuse, a lot of which was influenced by Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
One participant, for example, said: ‘When I was in Blackpool, I went to see a friend. We went out for a meal and people started singing behind us Heigh Ho.
This is not an uncommon experience for people with dwarfism. Lawyer Silke Schönfleisch-Backofen sued a man after he started laughing and singing ‘Heigh Ho’ at her, too.
Whenever there is an online story or reference to people with dwarfism you can guarantee that comments will include ‘they’re not happy’, ‘are they grumpy’, or ‘where’s Snow White?’.
It’s jarring – and I’m sick of reminding people that my disability is not their novelty.
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I argue that because dwarfism is such a rare disability, most people can only recall seeing someone with it in a film or even worse, in the pantomime, where the audience is encouraged to laugh at them.
Questioning this doesn’t make me a killjoy, or ‘woke’, it’s just a chance to ensure that people with dwarfism can be treated as people, and not as figures of fun.
If people, including grown men, could actually recognise the difference between people with dwarfism and a fictional set of fairytale characters, then things would be a lot easier for people like me.
If Disney could change the story back in 1937, why can’t it do the same now, in 2023, to try and reflect the modern world?
And don’t worry, changing the Snow White story won’t put us out of work. We’ve got plenty of career opportunities.
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As a woman with dwarfism, this is a great change to see.
