Disney to change the term 'fairy godmother' to a 'gender-neutral, more inclusive' one, and fans are outraged

Disney announced that it will replace the term "fairy godmother" with more inclusive, gender-neutral titles in costume boutiques within its theme parks. The news has left some fans very unhappy. 

Specifically, Mouse House is ditching the "fairy godmother" name at its Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique locations at both Disney World and Disneyland, according to an update on the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort websites.

The salons, which give makeovers to children ages 3 to 12 to transform them into princesses or knights, will reopen on August 25 after pandemic closures, the company said this week.

When they return, employees who were previously called "Fairy Godmothers-in-Training" will now be called "Fairy Godmother Trainees."

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Cast Members Get Gender Neutral Title, New Look at MagicBand+, Disneyland Paris Cuts Holes in Hoses to Combat Extreme Heat & More: Daily Recap (7/19/22)https://t.co/YD5EO5pXXr

— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) July 20, 2022

"This way, cast members who may not identify as female can still be part of the process of dressing and styling children without having to refer to themselves as a female Disney character," according to the Disney blog "Streaming the Magic."

The news angered some Disney fans, who felt that Mouse House is going overboard by leaning too much on the "woke" culture. 

"This is a mental illness...the magic is gone," wrote one Twitter user.

"I hate this world!" wrote another Twitter user about the news, while another tweeted, "Apprentice birthing people," an apparent variation on the term "apprentice fairy godmother," comparing it to the ridiculed gender-neutral term "birthing people."

Recently, Disney has made an effort to appear more inclusive and politically correct, which angered some fans of the entertainment giant.

Last summer, Disney eliminated the use of "ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls" from its theme parks and changed its once-strict dress code policy. Theme park employees can now show up for work with visible tattoos in any gender costume they wish.

Last weekend, the company quietly omitted a traditional speech by its co-founder Walt Disney at Disneyland's 67th-anniversary party, prompting some to assume it was due to his alleged racist and anti-Semitic views.

Elsewhere, Disney removed a character named "Trader Sam" from Jungle Cruise and got rid of the "Take a Wench for a Bride" scene from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride. The scene showed crying women tied up with ropes.

The moves come as Disney finds itself caught in a culture war in Florida over the state's "Don't Say Gay" law. Earlier this year, Disney CEO Bob Chapek refused to speak out against the Florida law, which bans talk about gender identity and sexual orientation for children in kindergarten through third grade.

The lack of response angered Disney employees, prompting Chapek to condemn the legislation and putting him in the crosshairs of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

In response, DeSantis signed a bill that would strip Disney's Florida theme parks of their self-governing status. The bill, which was signed into law in April, dissolves the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which operates as an autonomous entity on land straddling Orange and Osceola counties and has the power to levy taxes, build infrastructure, grant licenses, and institute its own zoning laws.