There’s an old saying that if the left didn’t have double standards, it would have no standards at all. This latest episode in the ongoing, never-ending culture skirmishes is just another shining example. Nintendo recently made headlines for its planned live-action Legend of Zelda film by casting a woman as Zelda.
Now, you might assume this would be a nonissue — a female actress portraying a female character — yet somehow, this triggered the left. Why? Because prior to the casting announcement, there had been a pressure campaign for Nintendo/Sony to cast a “trans” actor who is male to play the part because he supposedly bears a strong resemblance to the character.
This is Miyamoto. I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of The Legend of Zelda, Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/KA5XW3lwul
— 任天堂株式会社 (@Nintendo) July 16, 2025
As if robbing women of opportunities in sports wasn’t bad enough, now the left wants men to take movie roles from women.
The irony becomes even sharper when you compare it to another controversy making headlines: HBO Max’s decision to cast a black actor as Severus Snape in its upcoming Harry Potter reboot. Never mind that Snape, portrayed iconically by Alan Rickman, was written by J.K. Rowling as a white character.
But according to the left, Zelda should be played by a dude because he “looks like” Zelda.
We got robbed pic.twitter.com/xpLUNRXaEQ
— Rei (@ReiJoestar13) July 16, 2025
I guess they don’t see the hypocrisy.
Once again, the rules are applied in only one direction — always against white men, especially if they’re straight.
This is the same mindset behind the flood of reimagined pop culture icons: a gay Superman, a black Little Mermaid, a brown Snow White. In Disney’s "Pinocchio" remake, the iconic Blue Fairy with flowing golden hair was replaced by a bald black actress. And in "Lady and the Tramp," Disney awkwardly inserted an interracial couple into early 1900s Midwest America, where interracial marriage was illegal, completely rewriting history in the name of “inclusion.” In their rush to virtue signal, these studios are not only gutting beloved characters, they’re whitewashing the past to appease modern woke sensibilities.
And don't get me started on the outrage over the white Black Panther.
It’s a slick con: push forced diversity even when it breaks the logic of the story, then label any pushback as hateful. The message is that representation isn’t about authenticity or respect for source material. It’s about control. Replace white characters with minorities, and of course, replace women with mentally ill men.
Related: Can We All Finally Agree That Race Swapping Is Dumb?
There are perfectly legitimate reasons to oppose race-swapping iconic characters — reasons the left refuses to even acknowledge. Take Severus Snape, for example. Sure, some will argue that his race isn’t essential to who he is. But anyone who’s read the books or watched the films (and I have) knows better.
Snape’s backstory — torment at the hands of Harry’s father during their school days in the 1970s — is a key part of what shaped him. Make Snape black, and suddenly you’ve added an unintended racial subtext that changes the entire dynamic.
That’s not “representation”; that’s rewriting the character’s entire foundation. Even people who normally cheer on race-swapping should be able to admit that opponents of this change have a point.
But when it comes to letting a man take over a role written for a woman, there’s not even that flimsy excuse. There’s zero upside — just blatant erasure. It’s not progress. It’s theft.
Let’s not pretend that this double standard is accidental. These activists want to be the sole arbiters of what counts as “real” inclusion. It’s less about promoting inclusivity and more about flexing raw cultural power, bending corporations and creators to their will. Traditional fans and lifelong followers of these franchises are demonized for wanting just a shred of continuity or common sense.
Nintendo has demonstrated what so many are desperate to see: quiet confidence in the face of manufactured outrage. Standing up to these bullies takes more courage than ever. If more studios, creators, and executives showed that kind of backbone, maybe, just maybe, the endless, manufactured outrage machines would finally sputter out. Until then, get ready for the next scandal: Whatever it is, you can bet it will make just as little sense as the last one.
