Care2 members are always busy creating positive change, and those efforts don’t just stay here on the Care2 site. Two weeks ago, we highlighted Care2 petitions that were featured in outlets far and wide, from San Francisco all the way to Washington, D.C. Since then, Care2 petitions have been featured hundreds of times in media outlets worldwide! Let’s take a look at the most media-worthy campaigns from the last two weeks.
More than 51k Warn Disney Not to Whitewash Mulan
When Disney announced it would create a live-action remake of the classic animated film Mulan, fans were overjoyed. But considering the film industry’s past issues depicting race, some were concerned the film would be whitewashed.
“Whitewashing” is a term that refers to the casting of white actors to play characters originally written as people of color — and it’s happened in plenty of recent (or upcoming) films. Although Mulan hasn’t been cast yet, children’s librarian Natalie Molnar decided to take pre-emptive action. She started her Care2 petition asking Disney to break the pattern of whitewashing.
“Children need to be able to see themselves in the movies they love,” Molnar told Care2. “Whitewashing beloved characters of color tells children that if they’re not white themselves, then they can’t be the hero: they can’t fight off pirates as Pan‘s Tiger Lily or control the elements as The Last Airbender‘s Aang and Katara. But the chance to fight off the Huns as Mulan is still there.”
Considering a survey found Asian characters made up only 4.4% of speaking roles in top-grossing Hollywood films in 2013, Molnar has a point — and others seem to share her concerns. Molnar’s Care2 petition gathered close to 52,000 signatures and has circulated widely in U.S. and international media:
You can take action now to fight whitewashing in film!
40k Protest A Ban on Unleashed Dogs in San Francisco Parks
Dogs living in cities are often confined to the small apartment spaces and lack a big, grassy backyard in which to run. For these pets, space to run free outside is crucial to their mental and physical well-being.
That’s why San Francisco resident and dog owner Matthew Murphy started a Care2 petition to “keep our dogs free” and oppose a ban on unleashed dogs on federal parkland. The petition came in response to a new National Park Service Dog Management Plan that would ban unleashed dogs everywhere but seven places in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area — a tiny fraction of the 80,000-acre federal park.
Murphy says he started his Care2 petition because his dog walker relies on the ability to bring his dog, Trooper, and other dogs to Bay Area parks where they can roam free, socialize, and get exercise. In addition, Murphy says placing barriers in front of dog walkers — who would have to travel further to find places to bring the dogs unleashed — drives up the cost of pet ownership, forcing more dogs into shelters.
“It’s sad that Washington bureaucrats might strip Trooper of the freedom he enjoys so much,” Murphy said.
Murphy’s Care2 petition was covered in a slew of media outlets, including:
If you believe dogs should have space to roam off-leash, add your signature to Murphy’s Care2 petition here!
Care2 Members Fight for LGBTQ Rights in Indiana
By now, most people have heard the uproar over Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which many believed unjustly granted businesses the right to refuse service to LGBTQ people. The law prompted outcry, boycotts — and yes, a Care2 petition.
Eric Ulloa, a playwright and actor, started a Care2 petition urging the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), a labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, to avoid performances or work in the state of Indiana following the passage of the law. Ulloa said the AEA must stand against Indiana’s law because many of those whom the bill targets are part of the theatre community.
“The theatre community has historically been a place where many LGBT people call home, [and is] a community that does not stand for oppression or discrimination of any kind,” Ulloa wrote for The Huffington Post. “We are on the front lines of advocacy…We know the power we have when we band together.”
His Care2 petition gathered more than 1,200 signatures and led to the creation of an Associated Press article, which was syndicated in more than 290 media outlets! Some highlights:
You can stand up for LGBTQ folks and add your name to Ulloa’s petition here.
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