A Walt Disney World exhibit on childhood obesity has been closed prematurely after fat acceptance groups pointed out that way the exhibit depicts fat people is totally hateful and fucked up. Disney claims it was just trying to encourage kids to be healthier. Those against the childhood obesity exhibit say that it tries to shame children.
The exhibit, called Habit Heroes, was designed by Disney in conjunction with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. It was supposed to showcase how fun a healthy lifestyle can be while pointing out that watching too much TV and eating junk food can lead to being fat and not having fun. But instead, it subjected visitors to a parade of extra fat cartoons warning kids that they might turn out fat and bad like them unless they do good things like Dance Dance Revolution.
Visitors to the exhibit treated to a tour from virtual fitness gurus named Will Power and Callie Stenics, who lead guests through 12 interactive rooms. But watch out, kids! Villains Lead Bottom and Snacker are waiting around every corner, poised to assault you with deliciousness and sloth. And turn you fat and bad like them! Being fat is sort of like being a vampire in that way.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance wasn't amused, saying the exhibit furthers the most hurtful stereotypes of obese kids because it depicted only obese children engaging in unhealthy activities. And the less healthy the activity, the more obese the participant. To remedy this, they suggested that the exhibit show children of all sizes engaged in all activities, because skinny people laze around, too. Plus, the last several decades have proven that turning up the shame does not cause fat people to lose weight.
Disney said that they're grateful for the feedback and will incorporate it into Habit Heroes' retooling. No re-opening date has been set. To Disney's credit, at least they didn't call the exhibit "It's A Large World, After All."
Disney closes new Habit Heroes after criticism for stigmatizing fat kids [Orlando Sentinel]