The live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid has been recently criticized by Marcus Ryder, a prominent media diversity advocate. Ryders claimed that the movie failed to acknowledge and demonstrate the horrors of chattel slavery that was rampant in the Caribbean during the 18th century, the timeframe in which the film is set.Though the influential British campaigner and the chair of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art celebrated Halle Bailey’s Ariel, he took issue with the movie’s ritzy depiction of racial harmony and the erasure of slavery. Ryder shared his piece of critique via Twitter on May 30, 2023, but he later deleted it after receiving major backlash from netizens.𝕱𝖎𝖆𝖘𝖈𝖆.* 𝚆𝙽𝙲@uncletypewriterAn MBE recipient logged on to tell us it was problematic that The Little Mermaid didn’t accurately portray interracial relationships against the backdrop of slavery21438An MBE recipient logged on to tell us it was problematic that The Little Mermaid didn’t accurately portray interracial relationships against the backdrop of slaveryMarcus, who watched the movie with his six-year-old son, said that people do not do any favor to their children by pretending that slavery did not exist. He critiqued the portrayal of the world of the fictional islanders in The Little Mermaid, which has been demonstrated to be free from human rights atrocities.However, the diversity advocate was severely criticized in turn for his demand that slavery should have been included in the movie. One Twitter user @Dreadful4Tymes quote-tweeted Deadline Hollywood's article about Marcus' blog and sarcastically asked if the viewers wanted to see Ariel on a sugar plantation.Netizens react to Marcus Ryder's critique. (Image via Twitter/@Dreadful4Tymes)Diversity advocate comes under fire for The Little Mermaid's slavery controversyMany people wrote that the movie is meant for children to enjoy, and the inclusion of heavy topics like slavery would have been unnecessary. Netizens were confused as to why the critic wanted slavery to be included in a Disney princess movie.Some people also argued that the movie takes place in a fictional setting, so demanding the incorporation of slavery in a fairy tale, where reality is twisted, makes no sense.Burnaca Pancake Platter🥞@Kingof_DiamondI don’t want slavery in the little mermaid wtf 1I don’t want slavery in the little mermaid wtf 😭Mammee Wata@AnnieBeckyWhy would I want to see hints of slavery in the Little Mermaid?? Be Serious154Why would I want to see hints of slavery in the Little Mermaid?? Be Serious🌻Donii🍮@tylerannosorusThe island doesn't exist btw, it's a fictional island and there's no slavery in it because it's a kids movie!! It's the little mermaid twitter.com/marcusryder/st…Marcus Ryder MBE@marcusryder@retrocreole My African ancestors who were brutalised in the Jamaica, whose stories were erased in this film as 18th century Caribbean is portrayed as a racial utopia is where I draw my “right” to comment. But more importantly I hope you engage with the issues I raise not with me as a person.61@retrocreole My African ancestors who were brutalised in the Jamaica, whose stories were erased in this film as 18th century Caribbean is portrayed as a racial utopia is where I draw my “right” to comment. But more importantly I hope you engage with the issues I raise not with me as a person.The island doesn't exist btw, it's a fictional island and there's no slavery in it because it's a kids movie!! It's the little mermaid 😭😭 twitter.com/marcusryder/st…mint☆they/it@digitalplantp0tnot everything has to show black struggle WHY ARE U COMPLAINING THAT THE LITTLE MERMAID DIDNT DEPICT SLAVERY???12not everything has to show black struggle WHY ARE U COMPLAINING THAT THE LITTLE MERMAID DIDNT DEPICT SLAVERY???dee⁷@TAELAURENTWhy do people want horrible things to be depicted in shows that are especially not of that purpose First yall want school shooting in abbott elementary and now slavery in the little mermaid? Are yall hearing yourselves?41Why do people want horrible things to be depicted in shows that are especially not of that purpose First yall want school shooting in abbott elementary and now slavery in the little mermaid? Are yall hearing yourselves?Serial Writer@Jade_thewriterThe Little Mermaid criticism is getting dumber by the day. Just because Halle is black, we gotta mention slaves now. Because that’s the thing, as a black writer, if I write something set in the past, I’m not mentioning American slavery. It’s fiction. It’s an escape.The Little Mermaid criticism is getting dumber by the day. Just because Halle is black, we gotta mention slaves now. Because that’s the thing, as a black writer, if I write something set in the past, I’m not mentioning American slavery. It’s fiction. It’s an escape.razz ↯ 🫐🍓@SINISTERIQS"why is slavery not mentioned in the new little mermaid" has the same vibes as "why was 9/11 not mentioned in turning red"5"why is slavery not mentioned in the new little mermaid" has the same vibes as "why was 9/11 not mentioned in turning red"The Sìdh // Save Vampire Academy & The Winchesters@BelovedDhampirThe Little Mermaid takes place in a kingdom ruled by a Black women who adopted a white son.How was this kingdom suppose to accurately represent the horrors of slavery in a child appropriate way in the same movie that contains fish singing?Stop finding issues that aren’t there4The Little Mermaid takes place in a kingdom ruled by a Black women who adopted a white son.How was this kingdom suppose to accurately represent the horrors of slavery in a child appropriate way in the same movie that contains fish singing?Stop finding issues that aren’t thereInternet reacts to Marcus Ryder's slavery claims in The Little Mermaid. (Image via Twitter/@DEADLINE)Internet reacts to Marcus Ryder's slavery claims in The Little Mermaid. (Image via Twitter/@DEADLINE)Marcus Ryder draws a Jewish Holocaust comparisonThe OBE diversity advocate said that the setting of the Disney remake in the timeframe of 18th century Caribbean and not acknowledging slavery is equivalent to a love story between Jew and Gentile set in 1940 Germany without the Jewish holocaust.Marcus acknowledged that The Little Mermaid is a fantasy movie, so the story does not need to be meticulously faithful to history. However, he argued that children are not educated properly when they are made to overlook the past. He wrote:“The 18th century Caribbean is a problematic time to set any children’s story, but that should make it full of creative possibilities as opposed to encouraging historical amnesia.”Ryder suggested that Disney could have set the socio-political background of the film in Haiti after the Black population there had overthrown the shackles of chattel slavery. He added that after the epoch of slavery, Ariel’s meeting with Prince Eric set against the backdrop of a flourishing racial harmony would have made more sense.Marcus Ryder MBE@marcusryderOption 1: To pick a totally different setting free of historical baggage related to Black people. Option 2: Keep it in the 18th century Caribbean but avoid erasure of Black history, for instance by setting it in Haiti which had already thrown off the shackles of slavery.596Option 1: To pick a totally different setting free of historical baggage related to Black people. Option 2: Keep it in the 18th century Caribbean but avoid erasure of Black history, for instance by setting it in Haiti which had already thrown off the shackles of slavery.Marcus concluded his blog by saying:“We owe it to our children to give them the most amazing fantastical stories possible to help their imaginations grow. We do not do this by ‘whitewashing’ out the difficult parts of our history. We do it by embracing our rich history and empowering them with the truth.”After Marcus shared his blog on Twitter on May 30, he received a blowback from users and was compelled to delete the tweet. Later, on June 1, he made a separate post and wrote that his viral tweet was “widely misunderstood.”Marcus Ryder MBE@marcusryderTwo days ago I wrote a tweet about The Little Mermaid which went viral (12m views) I have deleted it, because it was widely misunderstood. A short thread...8115Two days ago I wrote a tweet about The Little Mermaid which went viral (12m views) I have deleted it, because it was widely misunderstood. A short thread...But the internet argued that the original animated movie told the same story as the live-action remake did. People told Marcus that they got his point, but it was not necessary to bring slavery and history into children's movies, making it a darker and heavier subject than it should be.Perré Aye@PerreAye@marcusryder Why can’t we just let the kids enjoy the movie instead of tryna ruin everything with “reality” we know slavery existed you don’t gotta remind people every chance you get.51@marcusryder Why can’t we just let the kids enjoy the movie instead of tryna ruin everything with “reality” we know slavery existed you don’t gotta remind people every chance you get.🌬🍃@islandgalvibes@marcusryder you expected something real out of a movie that’s made in a fantasy world. if you’re looking to educate your kid on slavery maybe watch the countless of movies that have already been made… but even those are a bit gruesome depending on how young your kid is 🤷🏾‍♀️10@marcusryder you expected something real out of a movie that’s made in a fantasy world. if you’re looking to educate your kid on slavery maybe watch the countless of movies that have already been made… but even those are a bit gruesome depending on how young your kid is 🤷🏾‍♀️Pile foirée 🐝@yann_solle@marcusryder This thread is just as irrelevant as that tweet. This is a fantasy story, there shouldn't be any expectations of historical accuracy here. Pack it up, sir.22@marcusryder This thread is just as irrelevant as that tweet. This is a fantasy story, there shouldn't be any expectations of historical accuracy here. Pack it up, sir.AegonTheeStallion@WhatISaidWass@marcusryder Representation is essential, but, they were not specifically looking for a black girl when casting, the best happened to be black. The story already existed, so they had to rewrite to accommodate blackness? should every story with black actors be written with slavery in mind?35@marcusryder Representation is essential, but, they were not specifically looking for a black girl when casting, the best happened to be black. The story already existed, so they had to rewrite to accommodate blackness? should every story with black actors be written with slavery in mind?They said that children can be educated and made aware of the past existence of slavery through other films that dealt with this topic as a main theme. However, in the case of The Little Mermaid, where the prime focus is on fantasy and the setting itself is an imaginary world, including something historically accurate would have snatched away the childish innocence from the movie.