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Disney Changes "Fairy Godmothers In Training" Name To Be More Inclusive
“This way cast members that might not identify as female can still be part of the process...”
With a flick of a wand, Disney is reportedly doing away with the term “fairy godmother” as an all-encompassing title at the theme parks’ Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for one that is more gender neutral. Starting next month, the “Fairy Godmothers In Training” who work at the boutiques will now be called “Fairy God Mother’s Apprentices.”
A Disney rep exclusively shared with Romper, “We simply made the change to allow men to work in these areas. With this change, now that any cast member can now work at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, the “Fairy Godmothers-In-Training” term didn’t work anymore. The new term is "Fairy Godmother’s Apprentices.”
Streaming the Magic, a blog dedicated to sharing Disney Parks’ events and news, made the announcement in a post on July 18. “The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney Parks have been a long time tradition for families to bring their children to get dressed & styled as their favorite Disney characters. But there will be a slight change coming to the famous Boutique,” the blog shared. “Disney will continue their efforts at being more inclusive with all guests & cast members by renaming the Boutique cast members to ‘Fairy God Mother’s Apprentices’ rather than ‘Fairy Godmothers in training.’”
“This way cast members that might not identify as female can still be part of the process to dress up & style the children without having to refer to themselves as a female Disney character,” Streaming the Magic added.
The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique allows kids between the ages of 3 to 12 to live out their magical fantasies by getting princess-style makeovers and dressing up like their favorite Disney characters like Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. The boutique had to close during the pandemic, but is set to reopen on Aug. 25 at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland's Fantasyland in Anaheim, California.
The name change is part of Disney’s recent efforts to become more inclusive with its guests and cast members and make its language more gender neutral. Last year, for example, Disney dropped the phrase “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls” from the “Happily Ever After” fireworks show at Disney World. Instead, the announcer now says, “Good evening, dreamers of all ages.”
“We want our guests to see their own backgrounds and traditions reflected in the stories, experiences, and products they encounter in their interactions with Disney,” Disney Parks said in a statement at the time. “The world is changing, and we will change with it, and continue to be a source of joy and inspiration for all the world. We’ll never stop working to make sure that Disney is a welcoming place for all.”
