Re the Disney #SnowWhite/dwarfs issue: People are trying to talk about this, at least, (video has discussion as goes on) but as with any action needed to right issues of inequality/discrimination/ableism, it's complicated BECAUSE OF THAT INEQUALITY. Thread.
https://twitter.com/FairytalesEtc/status/1492196974405246987
Dinklage is spot on that Disney and society's representation of people with dwarfism is seriously problematic and overdue for change. While there are many Snow White variants that don't have dwarfs (as folkloric "magic creatures" or little people), removing this minority group...
...from any retelling of this now-iconic Disney version of the fairy tale is a form of erasure. People in this minority group are speaking out against Dinklage's statement as it has the potential to remove one of the few job sources available to them ("dream job" is the quote)).
What this should highlight - and be central to any change/update - is that there is a serious lack of equality in the job market, entertainment being a primary option (for problematic reasons), and this needs to change.
Re Hollywood/entertainment, a "big fix" would be to make the majority of roles available/adjusted for little people, just as they're finally doing for women, POC, and disabled artists, as well as to write more roles to encompass this minority.
Dinklage has blazed an extraordinary trail in entertainment with his combo of talent/skill and smarts, and while has more choices than most people with forms of dwarfism, he is still limited in the roles Society (and Entertainment) let him play.
There are so few examples of people in wonderful/regular roles which don't require them to "act as typical dwarfs". The hospital drama "New Amsterdam" has a normal, short-statured doctor (Matthew Jeffers, who identifies as a little person) as part of the elite ER team and...
.. even he mentions in interviews that his role as a regular, valued person is unusual. “Even my role model, Peter Dinklage [of the TV show ‘Game of Thrones’], at the end of the day, he plays a dwarf.” (see respectability.org/2019/07/nbc-ne…)
Clearly, we have a long way to go before seeing little people in regular roles, without them being also needing to carry the label of "dwarf" in a negative sense. So what needs to happen re Snow White? How do we update the classic, represent this minority group better...
... and not take away jobs in the immediate future that are necessary avenues of income, and (currently) prestigious and coveted roles? It's not as simple as having little people be there but not "as dwarfs", especially when tackling fairy tales and folklore.
There are folklorists who are no doubt deep-diving into the role of dwarf characters (both human and magical) in folklore history and identifying positive aspects needing consideration as well. (I cannot point you to an article or thread at this time, though, sorry!)
A question that needs to be properly considered in tackling revisions of Snow White is "why dwarfs in the first place?" Why not, eg. elves, or fairies? (Elves & fairies, while common in fairy tales & fantasy, don't tend to end up exclusively representing one particular minority.)
In the tale, why do dwarfs remain resonant as the people/group Snow White stays with/is protected by? And, in retelling, especially with live-action, which uses real people, how will their appearance reflect on the community most affected by how they are portrayed?
Historically, people with forms of dwarfism have been marginalized by society at large, and diminished to stereotypes (and few jobs) in entertainment. It's a problem shared by all under-represented groups and the discrimination - intentional or non - perpetuates the issue.
Looking at dwarf characters in tales from different countries, while showing more variety in roles than today's Snow White ones (thanks to Disney cementing the role of helpful childlike sub-humans -aka in no way threatening to a girl), there are issues that become magnified...
... when changing to the medium of live-action. It's clear Disney's animated classic had a detrimental effect on how society (& the entertainment industry) came to view little people. The excuse of "it's a cartoon" or "they're folklore creatures" is already just that: an excuse.
Snow White - the fairy tale - continues to resonate through the ages for multiple reasons, and whether or not a live-action version of Disney's very specific version comes to pass, won't change that. Assuming Disney's does go ahead, though, what steps should be taken...
.. to stop the issues of inequality, discrimination and "stereotypification" for little people/those with forms of dwarfism? There needs to be both a short term strategy and a long-term strategy happening simultaneously - don't remove immediate/much-needed jobs while...
... at the same time, doing a better job of representing.
How do we change this for other groups? Owning the past and committing to change, advocacy, consultation from the affected community on representation, being aware of historically relevant issues, and never assuming...
How do we change this for other groups? Owning the past and committing to change, advocacy, consultation from the affected community on representation, being aware of historically relevant issues, and never assuming...
... one action or project is going to "fix" such a complex problem. The only obvious step is to NOT put this in the "too-hard" basket and shelve the project (Disney's Snow White) for another/if ever day. Ignoring it generally makes it worse. So I wish the team and consultants...
... every earnest good wish for success in finding their way through this tangle to tell the Snow White tale our society needs now. Yes, I am wishing for a fairy tale - there is a reason we need them, and keep telling them. What we forget is when we tell them, they change...
... according to who is telling them and who is listening. If we're aware of that we can tell stories that represent, heal, and provide inspiration for the future - stories we need now. A Latina Snow White is a great start. Let's keep going! 
PS There are many papers/studies available online (with persistent digging) on the history of dwarfs/little people in history & now - roles in society, courts, entertainment, being marginalized, sometimes revered, and "roles" in folklore. Worth studying.
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