It’s a whole new world at Disney, and tattoos and gender bending are welcome.
The Mouse House now allows cast members at its theme parks to show up to work showing off their tattoos and wearing any genre outfit they like.
“We want our guests to see their own background and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences, and products they find in their interactions with Disney,” Josh D’Amaro, president of Disney’s parks, experiences and products, wrote Tuesday. a blog post titled, “A place where everyone is welcome.”
“And we want our cast members – and future cast members – to feel a sense of belonging to the job.”
The new rules will go into effect when Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopen on April 30 after the two parks were closed last March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
As part of the changes, references to the genre have been removed from the Disney Employee Dress Code Handbook, which provides rules on how cast members should report for work. The guidelines no longer specify the length of men’s hair and have lifted the previous ban on men wearing nail polish.
But nail polish can’t go too crazy either. Nails should be a single color with no charms or embellishments. Disney also maintained its standard that required a natural hair color, with bright colors such as blue, pink and green, officially banned.
Tattoos can also be shown, unless they are on the face, head, neck, or are larger than one hand. Tattoos that include offensive language, symbols or nudity are also a no-no.
D’Amaro said the updated guidelines will help Disney “not only be relevant in the current workplace, but also allow cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work.”
In recent months, Disney has taken out its Jungle Cruise to upgrade and get rid of the negative racial stereotypes of native people. Disney is also making a makeover at Splash Mountain, eliminating racist themes from Disney’s 1946 film “The Song of the South,” and will feature its first black princess.
Disney’s recent changes come not only from the guests, but also from the company. According to D’Amaro, 2019 executives asked cast members for input on how to “focus more on inclusion and belonging.”
“The world is changing and we will change with it and continue to be a source of joy and inspiration for everyone,” D’Amaro said. “We will never stop working to make sure Disney is a welcoming place for everyone.”