When it was announced Halle Bailey from Chloe x Halle will be playing Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake, the internet lost its mind, but not just in the way we expected.
For every excited, congratulatory tweet, came opinions no one asked for, and some from blatant racists who probably live under rocks, under a bridge, in the Bible Belt of America…
And just when we thought the trolls could move on from the fact Disney has cast its first black live-action Disney princess since Brandy in 1997’s Cinderella, the racists think they’re pulling receipts.
As reported by 22 Words, some racists are trying to use ‘science’ to prove The Little Mermaid has Caucasian origins. That’s right, fictional, cartoon character Ariel must be white because SCIENCE.
One Twitter user, let’s call him racist Zach, said: “Because [mermaids] live underwater, which has no access to light beyond a certain depth, Ariel and every other mermaid in existence would be albino.”
Mermaids live in ocean. Underwater = limited sunlight. Limited sunlight = less melanin. Less melanin = lighter skin color. Because they live underwater, which has no access to light beyond a certain depth, Ariel and every other mermaid in existence would be albino.
— zach (@slicksliding) July 1, 2019
Another revealed their IQ with the comment: “How would the sun get to her for her to produce melanin?! Nobody thought this through..?”
Naturally, they’re failing to make any points which are either scientifically correct, or rational. There are a few Twitter users who have heroically challenged those who are clearly challenged in rational thought themselves.
Today I want to talk to you about mermaids that are NOT white. I want to share some awesome stories of merfolk from around world and explain why this is important. So grab your flippers and let’s go! pic.twitter.com/YrsfbUAQwI
— Sacha Coward (@sacha_coward) August 10, 2018
But we think this tweet is our favourite comeback:
Someone really tried to use the whole “There are no brown mermaids in the Little Mermaid”
Aight, lemme give you a Disney history lesson. This is Gabriella, she is also mute and uses ASL to communicate.
Try again with that nonsense lol. pic.twitter.com/VodClWOG7I
— Nipah ? ShadowBringers (@NipahDUBS) July 4, 2019