Over the weekend, a mother shared a video of her children at the parade at Sesame Place in Philadelphia with hopes of bringing attention to the treatment that her children received from the performer in a Rosita costume. The video sparked outrage all across social media and even caught the attention of some high-profile celebrities, such as Kelly Rowland.
As previously reported, Sesame Place Philadelphia released a statement in response to the mother’s video and said,
“Our brand, and our park and our employees stand for inclusivity and equality in all forms. That is what Sesame Place is all about and we do not tolerate any behaviors in our parks that are contrary to that commitment.”
The statement continued, “The costumes our performers wear sometimes make it difficult to see at lower levels and sometimes our performers miss hug requests from guests.”
The park continued to explain that in the viral video, the performer wearing the Rosita costume confirmed that the “no” gesture caught on camera was not directed to anyone in particular, but was in response to a request to hold a child for a photo moment. However, that is something that is not permitted.
The mother who shared the viral video responded to the theme park’s statement and said,
“I never asked for that character to take a picture and as I am watching my video I don’t believe that family asked either. I wholeheartedly feel as though that statement was released to save face. Also, a manager reached out to me earlier via phone convo.”
She added, “The statement is disrespectful and distasteful. Talk about adding insult to injury. I will repost this video every day until it is rectified.”
Since the release of the video, more parents have shared videos on social media accusing the performers at the park of ignoring their children due to the color of their skin.
Roommates, what are your thoughts?
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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
