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Credit: DisneyDisney’s Primos vanished as soon as its trailer debuted, and the backlash was quick and merciless. Many claimed that the show relied too heavily on racist Mexican stereotypes, criticized the creator’s and voice actresses poor Spanish grammar, and even the color palate has been dubbed problematic. That all being said, is this truly as offensive as we’re led to believe?
Inspired by the childhood of Disney animator Natasha Kline, Primos is about a young Latino girl who’s summer plans are thrown into chaos when her multiple cousins come to visit. That might sound perfectly innocent and full of comedic potential at first, but the response from viewers was so negative that they could have potentially killed the show.
Latino Creators Respond to Primos
@fernandacortesx Disney responded QUICK!! What do you guys think about Primos? #disney #disneychannel #primos #mexico #mexican #mexicanamerican #latino #latina
♬ Reggaeton, Latin, dance hall track ♪(945472) – Ninja_Muzik_Tokyo
@fernandacortesx gives the basics of the incident, as well as the pulled trailer, but she’s only one of many creators in the Latino community, and they are just as divided as the general audience.
While there are certainly many in the comments that are quick to tear the project to shreds, others are surprisingly defending Primos and Kline’s experience.
@myundocumentedass #greenscreen #primos #immigration #disney #representationmatters #latinxcreatives #notlikethis
WARNING: videos contain profane language!
@myundocumentedass gives a full rundown of why the show is considered racist and problematic, but he also mentions that it might not be entirely the creator’s fault. The saturation of stereotypes in modern media is something that plagues multiple cultures, and it’s left its mark on Kline’s project. However, this is only one side of the argument.
@thestorytimeguy To the Latino Community, yall we gotta be better than this. #Disney #Primos #Latino #Latina
All art has an element of truth, as the saying goes. Matthew Torres has dissected Disney material before, and he goes into explicit detail on how the response to the show might not be warranted, but simply a megaphone for a small percentage of the intended audience. This isn’t the first time audiences have “bullied” a piece of media into change or cancellation, and Primos might just be another victim in the grand scheme of things.
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The show isn’t perfect, that’s almost entirely certain, but is all the division and trash talk really necessary? The answer isn’t exactly black and white, but both sides have grounds for their points of view. Either way, the fate of the show still hangs in the balance, and it won’t please either side.
What are your thoughts on Primos? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!