Disability Advocates Call Out 'The Witches' for Its Representation of Limb Differences
Updated Nov. 5, 2020, with additional comments from Anne Hathaway.
A new movie on HBO Max is drawing criticism for its portrayal of limb differences. “The Witches,” produced by Warner Bros., depicts a character played by Anne Hathaway with claw-like hands that are missing fingers, according to Variety. Disability advocates have pointed out that the portrayal is a close representation of ectrodactyly, a limb difference in which one or more of the center fingers or toes is absent.
The issue is that Hathaway’s character is evil. In a tweet, Paralympian swimmer Amy Marren pointed out that, “[I]t’s upsetting to something (sic) that makes a person different being represented as something scary.” The movie is based on a book written in 1983 by Roald Dahl.
Seeing this picture from the ‘The Witches’ film made me very confused/upset. Yes you could say it’s great to see someone with a limb difference on TV and more than anything I really want to see more representation in the media. However we want disabilities to be normalised and be represented in a positive light rather than being associated with being a scary, evil, witch. — Paralympic athlete Claire Cashmore
@WarnerBrosUK was there much thought given as to how this representation of limb differences would effect the limb difference community?! @ReachCharity @RoaldFull pic.twitter.com/kiTEAuYt7i
— Amy Marren (@amy_marren) November 2, 2020
The Frontlines: Many people live with a limb difference, which can be the result of a genetic condition or amputation.
- The Centers for Disease Control estimate that about 2,250 babies in the United States are born with limb differences each year
- Approximately 2 million people with limb loss live in the United States. There are about 185,000 limb amputations in the U.S. each year.
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with limb loss are three times less likely to be employed
A Mighty Voice: Our contributor Kim Stumbo offers a unique perspective on what it’s like to parent as someone with a limb difference and what it means for her children. “Though society has become more accepting of differences, it’s still going to be some time before you can walk down the street without a second look when missing limbs or wearing a prosthesis that is visible. I have grown accustomed to them and know how to interpret looks or stares. They can be out of curiosity, pity, amazement or even disgust (those don’t happen very often). But I didn’t want my children to experience it.” You can submit your first person story, too.
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From Our Community:
How should someone with a limb difference respond when strangers ask what happened?
Where to learn more: A limb difference can mean facing significant stigma, but they are situations that other people have navigated and are sharing wisdom on. Read here about people living and thriving with limb differences:
- My Daughter’s Limb Differences Are Nothing to Feel Sorry About
- Primark Features Models With Disabilities in Its Fall Advertising
- ‘Bionic Model’ Rebekah Marine Featured on Episode of ‘Say Yes to the Dress’
- These Kids and Adults Model Self-Love and Show the Beauty of Limb Differences
What else to know: The trailer for “The Witches” also described “how to spot a witch,” with hints to look for missing toes or claw-like hands. The film’s physical depiction of the character’s hands is different from the book’s source material, which describes claws instead of fingernails, according to Deadline.
Warner Bros. has issued an apology, stating, “In adapting the original story, we worked with designers and artists to come up with a new interpretation of the cat-like claws that are described in the book. It was never the intention for viewers to feel that the fantastical, non-human creatures were meant to represent them.”
On Nov. 5, Hathaway issued her own apology on Instagram alongside a video from the Lucky Fin Project, an advocacy organization for people with limb differences. The video highlights several people with limb differences, and Hathaway used the caption to apologize for the pain she caused.
“As someone who really believes in inclusivity and really, really detests cruelty, I owe you all an apology for the pain caused. I am sorry,” Hathaway wrote, adding:
I particularly want to say I’m sorry to kids with limb differences: now that I know better I promise I’ll do better. And I owe a special apology to everyone who loves you as fiercely as I love my own kids: I’m sorry I let your family down.
Header image via Warner Bros./YouTube
Karen Veazey is a Las Vegas-based writer focused on health and lifestyle topics. Her byline has also appeared on sites for The Atlantic, The Lily, Romper, SheKnows, and more. Prior to her freelance writing career she worked in radio for 15 years.
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