A children’s YouTube channel has sparked accusations of racism over a video showing a cartoon angel turning black when she “loses her beauty”.
Since uploading the children’s video “Dina And The Prince Story” on 17 July, which has been viewed almost 400,000 times, My Pingu TV has been inundated with concerned comments from viewers.
The 13-minute video, which is described as a fairytale for children, shows an angel named Dina who falls in love with a prince.
However, as an angel, Dina is unable to speak to the prince, or she will lose her beauty. But, upon realising that the prince is sad, Dina decides to give up her beauty in return for the ability to converse with her husband.
In the video, once Dina has chosen her husband, she transforms from a white, brown-haired cartoon into a black cartoon with curly hair.
“I could not bear your pain any longer…” she tells the prince. “And now I am ugly…”
Although the video ends with the prince expressing his love for his wife regardless of her appearance, Dina’s “transformation” has been met with backlash.
“This video is extremely racist and the fact that a lot of children are watching this makes my blood boil,” one person wrote.
Another said: “This is actually so disturbing. Imagine being in 2019 and still trying to perpetuate the stereotype that black women/darker skin tones are ugly and undesirable.”
“Why is this racist video not taken down as yet? Absolutely ridiculous,” someone else commented.
My Pingu TV has more than 719,000 YouTube subscribers, with many of the channel’s videos viewed more than 1m times.
The Independent has contacted My Pingu TV for comment.
