Grease has been branded “racist, rapey, and homophobic” by snowflakes who want the hit musical banned from TV.
The iconic 70s movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John was shown on the BBC on Boxing Day. But critics reckon it is outdated and is no longer suitable for the TV schedule.
When it was released in 1978, Grease fast became the highest-grossing musical film of its time. Fast forward 43 years and it is still classified as an all-time favorite for many generations.
Or is it?
When the film was aired over Christmas in the UK, viewers were outraged at how the film is riddled with “inappropriate” messages.
While it might have seemed like the norm at the time, viewers re-visiting the film today claim not only is the show racist and sexist, but it’s also completely misogynistic and “rapey” in its plot.
The film hit a few nerves after it was rerun in Britain on Boxing Day, with many viewers in lockdown voicing their concerns on social media and calling for the film to be banned.
While there were plenty of racism claims over an all-white cast, one of the biggest problems viewers had with the film was over the pushy song Danny and Sandy sing in the opening scenes.
The hit track ‘Summer Nights’ recounts Danny and Sandy’s summer fling over the school break and while the song is meant to highlight the sweet romance, the lyric “did she put up a fight” has not sat well with many.
“So turns out Grease is actually pretty rapey,” one viewer tweeted.
Other critics pointed out that it was wrong of Rizzo to bully Sandy for not having sex with Danny whenever and wherever he wanted to.
“Grease is the worst. Rizzo is a bully who is then ‘slut shamed.’ Sandy has to change herself for a man. Ugh. The men are all sex pests, to be honest.”
As we live in more politically sensitive times, it’s not surprising that Grease would attract this criticism today. However, it’s worth emphasizing that none of these complaints are in any way new, and the Daily Mail article which kick-started the debate only cites four Twitter users.
The 1978 movie has always enjoyed a degree of infamy due to its risque sense of humor, and for tackling mature subject matter in a film that’s generally considered family-friendly.
It’s also inevitable that the film would display outdated attitudes because, on top of being made over 40 years ago, it’s also set in the even more conservative 1950s.
We strongly suspect that reports of Grease facing a potential TV ban have been greatly exaggerated, and have no doubt the old favorite will continue to grace screens for decades to come.
Watch the video below for more details:
This content was originally published here.
