You cannot be the Little Mermaid if you are Black? (Part 1)

This topic has been on my list since Disney dropped the 2023 live action The Little Mermaid teaser, especially overhearing what folks are saying online. The new movie stars Halle Bailey as the lead. Why do some people think a Black actor “could not” play the role of a fictional, fairytale character like the Little Mermaid? What’s the background of “why” some people think the way they do? Why do some people in Taiwan, a society that’s mostly made up of East Asians, find it hard to “accept” Black actors playing lead roles? Where do contemporary beauty standards come from? Today, Michelle and I sat down and tried breaking down some of these questions. We also talked about what we observed from our experiences living in Taiwan. Of course, we couldn’t cover everything in the scope of the show. Stay tuned as there will be a part 2. Hope you’re all doing well and staying warm.