Disney has issued a statement following the signing of Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law.
09.03.2022 - 03:51 / thewrap.com
state Senate on Thursday passed a “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would ban “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in primary schools, LGBTQ groups expressed outrage that Disney, one of the state’s biggest employers, has not voiced its opposition to the legislation. In fact, Disney CEO Bob Chapek defended the company’s silence in an internal memo to staff on Monday and argued that corporate statements on political issues like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill can be “weaponized” and are often “counterproductive.”Jean-Marie Navetta, director of Learning and Inclusion for PFLAG National, told TheWrap that Chapek’s memo represented a “complete turnaround from the way Disney has behaved in the past” on such issues.
In 2016, under previous CEO Bob Iger, Disney pressured then-Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to reject a bill that would have allowed faith-based organizations to refuse services to LGBTQ+ individuals that might violate their religious beliefs. The studio threatened to “take our business elsewhere” and refuse to continue filming in the state — where it had shot multiple Marvel blockbusters in Atlanta-area soundstages.
Deal, a Republican, ultimately vetoed the law despite its passage in both chambers of the state legislature.The contrast in Disney’s leadership is striking for many, especially in the LGBTQ community. “It’s really disappointing to see the new leader of the organization claiming these policy statements aren’t effective and that they can be weaponized when in fact he’s completely missing the point,” Navetta said.
“These statements are powerful. They do have a proven track record of steering the way things are going to happen,” she added.
Disney has issued a statement following the signing of Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has signed the controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, into law.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a new law that bans instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation for public school children from Kindergarten to the third grade, drawing condemnation from one of the state’s largest employers, The Walt Disney Co.
signed the controversial legislation into law on Monday and wants the law to be repealed. In a statement, the company said that they would like for the bill to be repealed or struck down in the courts and are working with other state organizations to achieve that goal.
“Here I am being queer and gorgeous and I’m on the red carpet, and I’m very happy to represent fellow gorgeous queer that consume Disney,” Encanto actress Jessica Darrow told Deadline tonight on the Oscars red carpet.
Oscar Isaac may be in the midst of promoting a new Disney series, but that doesn’t mean he’ll hold back criticism of the company’s corporate response to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.
Oscar Isaac has something to say about “Don’t Say Gay.”
list of demands for how the company at large should take steps to protect LGBTQ+ rights. “Today and every day, we Hulugans are united against all legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Hulu wrote in a tweet Tuesday morning.
On Saturday night, Greg Berlanti used his PGA acceptance speech as a platform to widely criticize the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation in Florida.
While not specifically calling out Disney’s recent debacle surrounding Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy made it known that she and her fellow PGA Milestone Award recipient George Lucas are on the right side of history, giving a shout-out to the impact of diverse, female and LGBTQ artists in the motion picture industry.
After coming under fire for its handling of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Pixar is restoring a cut scene from its upcoming film “Lightyear”.
Marvel Studios have added their voice to the debate surrounding the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in the US, saying the company “strongly denounces” any legislation that affects the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.The Republican-led bill, formally known as Parental Rights in Education, bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to third grade classes (aged 8-9). It argued that conversations around identity should be handled by parents, not schools.A statement shared by Marvel Studios on social media read: “We strongly denounce any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Disney’s bungled response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The movie studio issued their vote of support in a Twitter statement Wednesday.“We strongly denounce any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community,” they wrote.
As The Walt Disney Company employees planned walkouts today over “the lack of compassion and advocacy” from the company in regard to its LGTBQIA+ workers and their rights, especially where Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill is concerned, Disney-owned Marvel Studios posted a statement to Twitter strongly denouncing “any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
J. Kim Murphy Marvel Studios released a statement denouncing anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation on Tuesday afternoon.
Angelique Jackson A group of Disney employees have planned a week of in-person and virtual walkouts in response to the company and CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill.On Monday afternoon, the Twitter account called Disney Walkout posted a message explaining that, “The LGBTQIA+ workers and allies at The Walt Disney Company are standing in solidarity together over the coming weeks.”The post then linked to an open letter written in partnership with members of the LGBTQ community across the Walt Disney Company (including Disney Corporate, Disney Television Animation, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Streaming, Enterprise Finance, Enterprise Technology/Global Information Security and Bento Box). “The recent statements by The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) leadership regarding the Florida legislature’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” organizers wrote.
Disney executives have censored gay affection in its films.In an open letter attributed to LGBTQIA+ animators and allies at the studio (obtained by Variety), it reads: “We have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.“Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.”The letter is in response to Disney’s messaging around the recently passed legislation in Florida known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which blocks the discussion of LGBT+ identities in schools.Disney’s soft reaction to the legislation attracted widespread criticism.
The Human Rights Campaign is not taking money from Disney anymore.
As controversy continued to swirl around Disney’s stance on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the Hulk himself today tweeted praise for Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s statement in support of the LGBTQ+ community.