The rating for a classic children’s film has been increased in the United Kingdom for using a term that a film classification group considered “racially insensitive.”
On Friday, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) raised the rating for Disney’s Mary Poppins from Universal (U) with “no material likely to offend or harm” to Parental Guidance (PG) for “discriminatory language,” according to the organization’s website. (RELATED: Disney Movie Criticized For Not Talking About Slavery Enough)
Films rated U are considered “suitable for audiences aged four years and over,” while the BBFC’s definition of PG notes that “some scenes may be unsuitable for young children.”
A spokesperson for the BBFC noted the 1964 Disney musical “includes two uses of the discriminatory term ‘hottentots,'” according to a statement provided to the entertainment news site, Variety.
The word is a “racially insensitive” term for the Khoekhoe, a South African indigenous group, the outlet explained. The BBFC also noted that the term is used by one of the characters referring to the chimney sweepers whose faces are covered in soot.
NEW – Mary Poppins movie UK age rating raised almost 60 years after its release because of “discriminatory language” — Sky pic.twitter.com/YfrOLkJdt0
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 26, 2024
“We understand from our racism and discrimination research, and recent classification guidelines research, that a key concern for people, parents in particular, is the potential to expose children to discriminatory language or behavior which they may find distressing or repeat without realizing the potential offense,” the BBFC spokesperson told Variety.
Language and behaviors, such as the usage of the term in the Disney movie, are “not permitted at U or PG in any circumstance, or are wholly dependent on context,” the spokesperson continued.