A Disney TikToker calls out a woman who was inappropriately touching an actor in a ‘Gaston’ costume before being told off. People were disgusted by her behaviour and said that it was sexual harassment.
Woman Called Out For Inappropriately Touching ‘Gaston’ At Disney Park
Evan Snead is a Disney TikToker who took to their platform to remind people that those working at Disney theme parks were real people, even if they were wearing costumes.
He reshared old footage of this woman harassing a man wearing a ‘Gaston’ costume. Gaston was a character from the classic Disney movie Beauty and the Beast and is known for his over the top macho personality with several women swooning over him.
In real life, however, he was simply being played by a cast member who did not sign up to be sexually harassed by a random woman visiting the park.
The footage shows her approaching Gaston as he strikes a pose for a photo and she starts caressing his chest. Clearly taken aback he moves away and tells her she’s ‘done’.
Clearly not getting the message, she laughs and continues to put her hands on his chest once again as he repeatedly tells her to leave.
She then leaves looking embarrassed.
Snead puts his own commentary over the video where he says, “Please do not be that person. He was every bit in the right to do that. And just so you know, if you do harass the characters like that, more often than not, they are not going to play into it, they are not going to think it’s cute.”
He also said that if it’s something that would be inappropriate in real life, then it would be inappropriate at a theme park.
Snead continued, “The characters want you to have a great time and enjoy meeting them, but it is their place of work and they are also people. So aside from uncomfortable touching, please don’t use uncomfortable language. And please don’t be mean to the characters… They’re people. Treat them like it!”
People were on both sides of the issue but the majority overwhelmingly defended the actor's actions.
One commenter pointed out that it was sexual assault and would be considered as such if Gaston was a female.
Some thought that the actor had overreacted to the situation.
Others however quickly shot that thought down saying that the actor had not overreacted and saying it was so was normalising sexual assault.