Pepe Le Pew and Speedy Gonzales we’re the first characters to be called out, but now Internet users are asking to cancel one of the highest grossing hits of the 70s, Grease, since they consider it being sexist, racist and having toxic masculinity, among others.
The controversy began at the beginning of this year, when BBC broadcasted the film Grease without knowing that it would prompt a great controversy. After the screening, many Internet users took to Twitter, as the unusual platform, to complain about demeanor from the film that are now considered inappropriate.
Among the vivid comments which teemed on social networks, we’re the ones in which they categorized the film starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta as “racist”, “sexist”, and even “sexually aggressive,” stood out.
“Grease sucks on so many levels and the message is pure misogyny” or “Grease is just the most sexist piece of s***,” are two of the opinions the Daily Mail media shared.
The same website highlighted that two scenes generated serious offense: in which one of Danny’s friends tries to see under several girl’s skirts and when in the song Summer Nights they insinuate that Sandy had to literally resist and fight during their romantic encounter.
Netizens also exhibited their resentment towards Betty Rizzo’s behavior, played by Stockard Channing, who was accused of bullying Sandy with the musical theme Look At Me I’m Sandra D; and this same character was attacked because in the film, she is marginalized for having sexual relations with several men, especially with T-Bird Kenickie without a condom, which leads her to believe she could be pregnant.
Despite the criticism, it must be noted that the film was released in 1978 and set in a 1958 high school, a time when most of these demeanors were not yet decriminalized by audiences or most societies.
In this regard, Olivia Newton-John has already spoken about this situation according to the Daily Mail: “It’s a movie and a fun story and I’ve never taken it too seriously.”
