The creator of Disney’s “Captain Durag” kid’s cartoon character is speaking out against the backlash over the character’s costume, which includes a durag.
The black superhero character wears a durag on his head in Disney’s Hey, AJ series. The head covering, which is common in the black community and used to protect treated hair or to protect intricate hair braids, has gone from a mere utilitarian item to a cultural statement for many American blacks.
But the cartoon’s use of the headwrap has led some to criticize the Disney character as being insensitive, stereotypical, or even “disrespectful,” according to PrimeTimer.
Criticism of the character includes accusations of tone deafness, lazy writing, and claims the character is somehow engaging in cultural ridicule.
But the creator of the character, Camille Corbett, who is black, has replied to the attacks on her X account.
“I created the character Durag Man, now known as Captain Durag on the Disney Show, Hey AJ and I’m just finding out people are finding it problematic? I just wanted our culture to have a superhero of its own!” she wrote.
Disney has not issued any statements about the backlash, but the episodes of Hey, AJ that feature the superhero character have been removed from the show’s Yourube channel.
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