Disney May Ban Leia's Gold Bikini From All Star Wars Merch

[Paradoxrifts]

By all means Disney go and make the Star Wars franchise safe, inoffensive and boring as you possibly can. I can't really believe that they're self censoring something as bland as Star Wars. The only people nowadays who would honestly think that Princess Leia's slave outfit is too "skimpy" or "revealing" are sex negative feminists and moral conservative puritans. The very fact that the SJW crowd is out in force supporting this change of direction just goes to prove that they cannot be appeased. Here we have an example of an unpleasant slimy villain doing something demeaning to a female character, who only a few scenes later turns the tables and graphically murder him in one of the most horrible ways possible with minimal outside help. Apparently we are just not allowed to find portrayals of self-reliant female characters who can not only get shit done but also look after themselves attractive or sexually appealing.

 

[Karadalis]

But on the subject of the stormtrooper's armor - Why do only the guys get sculpted chest plates?

Because boob plates are unpractical and limiting your freedom of movement when those two lumps of flesh are suddenly hardened armor. Ever tried to fire a rifle with what amounts to two small barrels on your chest? Thats why history had never boob plates to begin with even if an armor was made for a female.

As to disney pre emptively censoring itselfe... yeah.. thats just another sign of the outrage culture we live in, its stupid, its petty... it makes no sense in the context of the scene wich was really empowering. Its just another company bending over backwards to the sex negative extreme feminist/social justice dogma and screaming "WE TOO! WE TOO!" while at the same time their animated characters run around in even less clothing.

 

[Dragonlayer]

I like how a Facebook rumour from a low-level Marvel artist that Disney *might* no longer produce slavekini Leia toys, caused four pages of people working themselves up into an indignant frenzy about Disney retroactively destroying Star Wars at the behest of the Social Justice League that has declared war on all that is good and proper.

 

[Phasmal]

I repeat, why is sexy bad? Are we on a mission to make sure no one is sexy in media? That's bleak and puritanical.

Likewise, did she not present fear before strangling his ass?

Can I answer that, as a person who was once a child who wanted a Leia toy but NOT a Slave Leia toy?

Sexy is boring. When you are a small girl child and you want a girl toy and all that is available is one that's half naked you think `What is the point in this? What does it do? This is boring and stupid`. And then move on to other things.
Not to mention, she was in it for a very small part of the movies and it was massively overrepresented in merchandise for the amount of time that she actually wore it.

We've had 30 years of Slave Leia. I'm sure that it's time to move on to something else.
I'll be very happy if little girls get better Star Wars toys with the new movies.

 

[MrFalconfly]

Has anyone ever stopped to consider that this might be less pandering to SJWs and more Disney trying desperately to be family friendly? I'm not defending it, I don't really like the idea of it being taken out of everything (though I won't complain if it's out of kids isles) but remember how violently family friendly Disney is? Remember how they didn't want gays in The Old Republic?

Family friendly?!?

Oh I get it.

US family friendly.

 

[KissingSunlight]

If you ever wonder why some people think that Social Justice Scolds are the pox of the internet? This is why. They take one word out of context. Then they extrapolate their own narrative of what they think that the person meant by that word. Even when the person tells them what was meant by it. They will still insists that their interpretation is the only correct way to read it.

Well maybe you stop binge so hyperbolic, butchering 1984, using common phrases incorrecting and then defending in another post how its actually a correct use of an extremely loaded phrase. Its something that is expected of you before you're out of middle school. If you don't want people to point out that you're wrong you shouldn't be saying things that are blatantly wrong.

If a company is putting out a line of toys based on a movie series, then makes a big deal of not putting out one toy based on an iconic moment in the series. It sounds like censorship(Orwellian or not).

Yes, how dare they stop making sexualized toys featuring bondage from a movie that is over thirty years old. Fuck you 20th Century Fox, I need my toys with Ripley in her underwear next to the Inside Out toys and if you don't you're stepping on my freedoms!

In case you wondered why I sighed in my first response my post. This is why. I knew you were going to do this.

So, let's unpack your hypocrisy. You insulted my use of the word "Orwellian" by saying it is something that a little kid would use. I don't know how old you are. Maybe you don't know that Orwellian means Orwell-like, not Orwell-EXACTLY. As in: This issue seems LIKE something that George Orwell wrote about in his books.

For someone who is obsessively concerned about words, you misspelled "being". Also, you used "incorrecting" incorrectly. Come to think about it, is "incorrecting" even a word?

For someone who was upset about my use of hyperbole, you had no trouble doing it for the rest of your post.

One thing I've noticed a long time ago. People who complained most about sexual images and content. They are the ones who were more obsessed about sex than the people who advocates the freedom to enjoy sex. The anti-sex crowd seems like they are projecting their sexual hang-ups on their opponents.

People are insisting that this is just an internet rumor. Then where is the link that Disney denied that this rumor is true? I haven't seen it. I got a feeling that Disney floated this rumor out to see what the reaction would be if they did stop making this merchandise.

 

[Lightknight]

I repeat, why is sexy bad? Are we on a mission to make sure no one is sexy in media? That's bleak and puritanical.

Yes the bleak, puritanical ending of the production of children's toys depicting a supposedly competent woman being enslaved and dressed in a way that appeals to people's weird slave fetish.

You're kidding yourself if you think it's children that are huge fans of the originals.

Likewise, did she not present fear before strangling his ass?

I wasn't aware the fear and forced sexualization was the empowering and badass part of that time she strangled a crime boss.

Overcoming fear and forced sexualization to un-damsel yourself is. But hey, the internet needs to be angry at stuff I guess. So let's get angry at a 30 year old movie and it's depiction of a rare damsel with actual agency. The princess literally slaying her own dragon. Yeah. Sooo bad.

No, it's bad because she's wearing a bikini and America has a problem with sexy except when they themselves are on a beach wearing their own bikini unironically.

I repeat, why is sexy bad? Are we on a mission to make sure no one is sexy in media? That's bleak and puritanical.

Likewise, did she not present fear before strangling his ass?

Can I answer that, as a person who was once a child who wanted a Leia toy but NOT a Slave Leia toy?

Sexy is boring. When you are a small girl child and you want a girl toy and all that is available is one that's half naked you think `What is the point in this? What does it do? This is boring and stupid`. And then move on to other things.
Not to mention, she was in it for a very small part of the movies and it was massively overrepresented in merchandise for the amount of time that she actually wore it.

We've had 30 years of Slave Leia. I'm sure that it's time to move on to something else.
I'll be very happy if little girls get better Star Wars toys with the new movies.

That would be relevant to something if the vast majority of fans of the original Star Wars trilogy weren't in our 30's, 40's and older.

Also, there have always been more options than just Slave Leia. You're acting like only slave Leia or princess Leia can exist. That's a false dichotomy.

Hey look, Melissa Joan Hart:
http://www.newsgab.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=86656&d=1197546214

I'm sure she'd feel so empowered by people taking away her option to purchase a costume. Because God only knows that parents and adults can't handle having the choice of deciding whether or not to purchase something. So it's best if companies decide for them or if internet mobs prevent the choice from happening. Soooo much better than having to choose ourselves...

 

[Lightknight]

You're kidding yourself if you think it's children that are huge fans of the originals.

Yes, because those fans have waited until now to buy these toys and, in fact, need those toys from that one brief scene 30 years ago to continue to be made and sold alongside other children's toys to ever acquire them. If you're (general you're) an adult, it's about time you learn that the universe will not wait decades for you to feel ready to visit a toy store and purchase that one boringly fetishized toy you've wanted.

Overcoming fear and forced sexualization to un-damsel yourself is. But hey, the internet needs to be angry at stuff I guess.

So where's the toy of her overcoming anything? Where's the toy of her un-damseling herself? Or are we just supposed to imagine that sort of thing using the toys of her being afraid as a base? Though I'll agree the internet sure does need to be angry at stuff, like rumors that a company won't be producing a 30 year old toy anymore. Give the internet some time and it'll switch to something different but equally stupid.

If they are being sold, why stop selling them since there's a demand? If they aren't selling then that's quite another thing. Why is empowerment some magical requirement to allowing something to be sold. FYI, you are just talking about your own personal form of empowerment. A lot of women find feeling attractive a major means of empowerment and it would be best not to invalidate them either.

Or is it important that all people match your own personal sensibilities and if not that their ability to act on their differing sensibilities must be taken away from them? Is that what constitutes a "victory" here?

Let's take this to the worst possible trajectory. Say someone does have a slave fetish? So fucking what? What business is that of yours or mine? Maybe they also like prancing around in a gimp suit with a dildo up their ass. Simply not your concern. Maybe you have fantasies that I find unsavory. That's not my business either.

As for toys of her as an empowered character in the slave costume:

http://figurefanzero.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/swb6slave9b.jpg?w=593

But I'm sure they really just gave her these weapons to emphasize how powerless she is and in need of male help [/sarcasm] The figurine set also includes that gun she used on the top of the ship.

How about this figurine?

https://www.sideshowtoy.com/prod_photos/jpg/200037_press08.jpg

Literally in the act of freeing herself. Let me ask you, why do you think so many women like dressing up like her. Are their thoughts and concerns irrelevant to the situation?

 

[Phasmal]

That would be relevant to something if the vast majority of fans of the original Star Wars trilogy weren't in our 30's, 40's and older.

Also, there have always been more options than just Slave Leia. You're acting like only slave Leia or princess Leia can exist. That's a false dichotomy.

[snip]
I'm sure she'd feel so empowered by people taking away her option to purchase a costume. Because God only knows that parents and adults can't handle having the choice of deciding whether or not to purchase something. So it's best if companies decide for them or if internet mobs prevent the choice from happening. Soooo much better than having to choose ourselves...

I'm pretty sure if people want to buy Slave Leia shit that they still can.
I never said it was either/or, so pfft on that. I said it was vastly over represented in merchandise in the first place.

I also seriously doubt that it will be impossible to buy that costume either.

Companies can choose to stop selling something. I'm sorry that it upsets you, but they can.

Jeez, people take this shit waaaaaay too seriously.

 

[Lightknight]

That would be relevant to something if the vast majority of fans of the original Star Wars trilogy weren't in our 30's, 40's and older.

Also, there have always been more options than just Slave Leia. You're acting like only slave Leia or princess Leia can exist. That's a false dichotomy.

[snip]
I'm sure she'd feel so empowered by people taking away her option to purchase a costume. Because God only knows that parents and adults can't handle having the choice of deciding whether or not to purchase something. So it's best if companies decide for them or if internet mobs prevent the choice from happening. Soooo much better than having to choose ourselves...

I'm pretty sure if people want to buy Slave Leia shit that they still can.
I never said it was either/or, so pfft on that. I said it was vastly over represented in merchandise in the first place.

It was exactly representative of its demand.

I also seriously doubt that it will be impossible to buy that costume either.

Disney is insanely protective of its IPs. Even small vendors regularly get slapped with a cease and desist from them. From small etsy stores to parody videos like "How it should have ended". Them not providing this will likely mean mostly preowned stuff only. And if there's anything you want to wear on Halloween, I'm sure it'll be a pre-owned slightly stained Leia slave outfit.

Companies can choose to stop selling something. I'm sorry that it upsets you, but they can.

Did I, at any point, state that companies don't have the power to produce or not produce items that are legally theirs? A company could also technically produce a statue of slave leia undergoing lewd sexual acts. Would you not complain about that if they did that? We can complain about what they do and why they do it. Just as you can affirm their decision or reasoning. Don't get on me for doing the same thing you're doing but on the other side. That's an unnecessary double standard.

 

[Phasmal]

Snip.

Okay, let's just agree to disagree then. I'm not particularly interested in a back-and-forth. I don't think Slave Leia is something particularly sacred, I always thought it was stupid- so yeah.

I'm sorry their decision bums you out then, but I don't think stopping producing something after 30 years is a big deal.
I imagine one day there will be no Star Wars toys produced at all.

 

[Lightknight]

Snip.

Okay, let's just agree to disagree then. I'm not particularly interested in a back-and-forth. I don't think Slave Leia is something particularly sacred, I always thought it was stupid- so yeah.

I'm sorry their decision bums you out then, but I don't think stopping producing something after 30 years is a big deal.
I imagine one day there will be no Star Wars toys produced at all.

Eh, I'm not personally a fan of slave Leia. I find the whole thing unnecessary but it was nice to see her go all warrior princess on their asses. What I am a fan of is not stomping on the sensibilities or fantasies of others just to achieve some sort of political point. I don't think this cultural move to sanitize sexuality is right. It smacks of religious adherents trying to enforce their beliefs on governments and organizations.

It's the same reason I get pissed at the fact that 18 year olds, legal adults, can't buy liquor or that governments still enact laws to prevent the sale of liquor at certain times or on certain days because they feel the need to control what we consume even though there's still demand for it and the people involved are grown-ass adults.

I don't like policies that decide that certain people are wrong for liking or wanting something. If this toy exists, it does nothing to harm the people who don't like it, it only robs the people who do want it from having it. That's why people in favor of stopping "sexy" art they find distasteful are generally in the wrong. They are the book burners of the art world and are only taking away from the people who like it whereas if said art exists, it's not like they're being forced to consume it. So it just ends up being one group of people enacting their personal beliefs on others.

If there is not a demand for it, that would be an absolutely perfect reason for it to go away. That's why most products should be phased out. Because they are no longer popular. Also if they contain lead, but that's another story...

 

[Erttheking]

Has anyone ever stopped to consider that this might be less pandering to SJWs and more Disney trying desperately to be family friendly? I'm not defending it, I don't really like the idea of it being taken out of everything (though I won't complain if it's out of kids isles) but remember how violently family friendly Disney is? Remember how they didn't want gays in The Old Republic?

Family friendly?!?

Oh I get it.

US family friendly.

Y...yeah pretty much. We're still comfortable with on screen disembowelment so long as you don't show a nipple.

We're getting better though.

 

[Something Amyss]

Y...yeah pretty much. We're still comfortable with on screen disembowelment so long as you don't show a nipple.

We're getting better though.

At which? Less disembowelment or more nipples?

 

[Erttheking]

Y...yeah pretty much. We're still comfortable with on screen disembowelment so long as you don't show a nipple.

We're getting better though.

At which? Less disembowelment or more nipples?

*Looks at Game of Thrones* More nipples. And a bit more dick too.

 

[Vykrel]

im not sure exactly where they stand on the outfit existing in the first place, but the way i see it, there is obviously nothing wrong with that, but they took things a bit far with the modeling and whatnot. it wasnt supposed to be a sexy outfit, it was supposed to be dehumanizing. its a bit bizarre that "slave Leia" almost instantly became synonymous with "sexy Leia".

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

Uh, where did I imply that this was a zero sum game? Meh. I don't really play the rep game. People who are pissed at the social justice side will always be pissed at the social justice side. I tried playing moderator a long time ago, tried to build bridges. All it did was make me frustrated and people actually mocked me for it. When someone likes being pissed and angry, trying to calm them down and reach out to them is an exercise in futility. Besides, you're still basing all of this off of the fact that Disney is doing this because of sex, which is still jumping to conclusions, that is, if they're even doing this at all. Is there really an active attempt to get people to stop buying things? I can't remember the last time I saw someone shammed for buying a product with the exception of when everyone was getting a hate boner towards casuals and saying they weren't allowed to buy COD because they were destroying the industry or something.

I'm not trying to make it acceptable (Hell I said I'm not for it) I'm just tired of it always being the SJWs fault when something happens that people don't like.

Honest Question: yes, it is all in the hypothetical now, but would you be saying anything different if this was a confirmed story / will you say anything different if it gets confirmed? Sorry, I've heard the same plaitiudes after some form of change has been made to the point where I don't think people think I'm over reacting, but rather they're just upset I voice my displeasure that their getting what they want costs me something I want or value. That's ironiclaly the only thing about these topics that actually does upset me: people that wonder why geek culture isn't more inclusive and is always angry, but keeps doings things they know upset us and try to brush the response off by making us the bad guy for being angry at things they don't want us to be angry about. Even your dismissive attitude: since when does anything from looking down on, ridiculing, and otherwise being dismissive of someone's fears and concerns (even irrational ones) actually get people to not have them? It just gets them angrier because you come off seeing them as unimportant.

I try not to see SJWs as bad people, but I do see a surprising lack of concern for other people and what they value and what bothers them when they're trying to get something they want, even if they didn't start that ball rolling themselves (directly), and tactics that make me question the honesty of stated goals like "just wanting more variety". And honesty, I think SJW causes would be stronger if they actually tried to address, or at least acknowledge that how people outside their clique see them so as not to take paths that open them up to resistance from others.

Yes I would. I already don't really like the concept that much. I'm a 22 year old heterosexual male. My hormones are still going full force. I LIKE the slave bikini. If I don't fess up if they admit to doing this to pander to SJWs or something similar, feel free to quote me here and point out how full of shit I am. Personally I still think there really haven't been that many big changes as a result of this ideological disagreement, despite how much virtual ink has been spilled over it. A couple of chains that only had video games as a minor side project and wasn't really visited by gamers stop carrying one game (And that wasn't even SJWs, it was former prostitutes), a cover gets changed and it turns out the author agreed that it should be changes, etc etc. I'm not being dismissive here, though I apologize if I came off that way. Though in my defense, I feel like this happens the other way around a lot. I gave up trying to make threats criticizing certain trends in video games because I knew half of the website would ignore me at best and downright insult me at worse. I'm not trying to dismiss your concerns (Again I apologize if I came off that way) I'm just disagreeing with you. And I'll admit that if they are canceling the entire line just because it's sexy, that's both hypocritical and wrong.

Again...kind of works the other way around too. On the internet pretty much everything is "It's ALL ABOUT ME! It's ALL ABOUT ME!". Admitting you did something wrong is showing weakness to "the enemy."

*Sigh* It's basically an exercise in futility. Everyone thinks that if they're just loud enough, use enough snide comments and cusswords, refer to other people as Nazis enough, everyone will magically understand just how right you are. It's like modern US politics. It's about spiting the other side however you can. Everyone does it.

 

[Something Amyss]

Easily done. Ask yourself 3 things:

1. How is is Slave Leia different from Carbonite Han Solo?
2. Why Remove merchandise that is accurate to the story it is drawn from?
3. What is the logic behind trying to ignore what was in fact a very character defining moment for Leia?

That sounds very much like either an argument from ignorance or an argument from incredulity.

*Looks at Game of Thrones* More nipples. And a bit more dick too.

Sounds good to me.

...wait, that may have come out wrong.

 

[happyninja42]

Oh no, because there is such a drought of scantily clad women available for public consumption in the world! However will we survive without Slave Leia!? The ONE hot chick wearing next to nothing out there!!

 

[Tsun Tzu]

I was about to post a lengthy ***** rant about sanitizing and denial of context, but then I noticed the same people I'd expect to see posting on either "side" of the discussion posting exactly the kind of stuff I'd expect them to.

Kinda like the Escapist's version of clockwork.

It's weirdly comforting in a way.

Let's just say I disagree with those of you I always disagree with and leave it at that, eh?