Habit Heroes, a new attraction at Epcot Center at Walt Disney World, was scheduled to open on March 5th, but is now postponed indefinitely. The exhibit was designed in partnership with Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance.
After test runs, the attraction drew criticism from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and other groups.
Read more at The Orlando Sentinel. Pictured here is the character Lead Bottom. Link -via Fark
Housed inside Innoventions, the park's futuristic showcase of ideas, Habit Heroes features animated fitness buffs Will Power and Callie Stenics, who take groups of up to 12 guests through interactive rooms, where they fight bad habits such as too much television and junk food.
Cartoon villains include the super-sized Snacker and Lead Bottom.
The insurance company's goal is to encourage healthier habits among kids, so they will improve their health while lowering health-care costs, said insurance officials.
After test runs, the attraction drew criticism from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and other groups.
"We're appalled to learn that Disney, a traditional hallmark of childhood happiness and joy, has fallen under the shadow of negativity and discrimination," came a heated response from the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.
"It appears that Disney now believes that using the tool of shame, favored so much by today's healthcare corporations, is the best way to communicate with children," said the association's statement. "Disney, in partnering with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, has taken the side of the bullies."
Read more at The Orlando Sentinel. Pictured here is the character Lead Bottom. Link -via Fark
Our kids should be encouraged to eat healthily and find a way to move that they enjoy. Putting kids down is not a way to make them strong!
http://youtu.be/fmUxVspnAkg
I think at the root of this issue is a confused message. Disney is making the superheros fit and the villans fat. It can be construed as fighting bad habits, but it can also be taken as fighting fat people themselves ("hey, let's beat up the fat kid!"). The message is in poor taste. They should have crafted something better to promote a positive message that encourages overweight kids to adopt better habits.
I hope this world ends soon. First Bieber in space, now the this? Things are getting ridiculous.
They got a right to fight for fat, but they are idiots, we should crush them and their cause, and I hope Disneyland turns on the ride.
NO. Not even once. I refuse to just accept fatness.
When we simply give in and accept fat, we have lost the fight against it.
Fat can be a domino chain putting the public at risk. Illnesses brought on by weakened immune systems riddled by heart disease, diabetes, poor kidney function, etc can be contracted easier by obese people who are already health-comprimised. I view fatness as publicly offensive as smoking. Get fat, get weakened immune system, get sick...spread sick to me....and make me sick too. How is that fair, when I'm eating right, working out, and staying healthy? We both shop at the same stores, so I have to just deal with coughing,sneezy tubbo riding around in the power scooter, because he/she refused to put down the chicken and milkshakes?
Fat is not a race. It is not a gender. It is something we can all do something about, so I refuse to accept ANY fat as something I just have be ok with.
I see nothing wrong with having an exhibit on how poor nutritional choices and a lack of exercise is detrimental to one's health. Not having seen the exhibit, though, I can't comment on whether the tone was right...
People are fat for many reasons, some genetic, some psychological, some economic, some medical. No one wants to be fat, and it's rarely a matter of pure laziness. Helping people to address underlying problems would be a lot more effective than just piling on additional humiliation.
And this exhibit, which really involved fighting fat people, couldn't lead to anything other than an increase in obnoxious, judgy children, some of whom seem to have commented above.
They could replace it with the "Mommy, why do all the old fat people have stumps instead of feet?" exhibit. Sponsored by Novartis.
I dont want to live on this planet any more.
PC has gone too damn far. Call a spade a spade and be done with it.