Why Disney Wont Say Anything About Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

Michael Kaplan March 3, 2022

When Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill passed the state house of representatives on February 25, former Disney CEO Bob Iger tweeted his support of President Joe Biden’s condemnation calling it “hateful bill.”

“I’m with the President on this!” Iger wrote.

I’m with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy. https://t.co/fJZBzre4yM
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 25, 2022

Iger’s comment elicited responses encouraging him to talk to current Disney CEO Bob Chapek about it. According to The Hollywood Reporter: “These suggestions overlook the fact that Iger had exited Disney at the end of December, as well as the reality that his relationship with Chapek had clearly become strained after Iger took the title of chairman emeritus and Chapek became CEO in February 2020. More importantly, Chapek is busy putting his own stamp on Disney company culture, and clearly he will be less willing to wade into advocacy than Iger. For example, a knowledgeable source says Chapek balked at a proposal to weigh in on voting rights.”

Chapek, the article goes on to say, is believed to be much more conservative than Iger was but there’s more to it than that. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Disney has given money to every single sponsor and co-sponsor of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which was passed by Florida’s House of Representatives February 24. Officially titled the House Bill 1557, the proposed law is heading to the state’s Republican-held Senate next.

Biden called the bill “hateful,” tweeting, “I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community — especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill — to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve.”

As the Orlando Sentinel stated, the bill’s Senate sponsor, Ocala Republican Dennis Baxley, has actively backed anti-gay legislation for years, including laws that would block gay couples from adopting children and “once compared kids who live with same-sex parents to kids raised by alcoholics and abusers and later said, ‘I’m not phobic, but I simply can’t affirm homosexuality.’”

The Walt Disney Company has allegedly donated to Baxley, among other bill supporters.

IndieWire says that director Abigail Disney, the daughter of former Disney animation head Roy E. Disney and great-niece of Walt Disney, took to Twitter to condemn the corporation’s financial backing of the Parental Rights in Education bill, which prohibits “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in Florida primary schools. “I could not be more unhappy with their political activities, both in terms of whom they fund and how they lobby,” Disney tweeted about the Walt Disney Company’s reported political contributions. “I would strongly support a law to require all corporations to reveal ALL of their funding and lobbying moves.

I could not be more unhappy with their political activities, both in terms of whom they fund and how they lobby. I would strongly support a law to require all corporations to reveal ALL of their funding and lobbying moves. https://t.co/TGLOO0woRw
— Abigail Disney (@abigaildisney) March 2, 2022

THR says, “Chapek appears to want to handle certain controversial topics through internal dialogue. Latondra Newton, Disney’s chief diversity officer, sent a message to staff on Wednesday referencing “deeply troubling and heartbreaking” developments in the news, noting that Chapek had asked “to meet with leaders in our company’s LGBTQ+ community to discuss how Disney can best support these important and valued employees and cast members.” She said the company would schedule a March 22 “Reimagine Tomorrow” conversation — part of an ongoing program for Disney staff — that will be dedicated to “issues of concern to our LGBTQ+ colleagues,” and announced a company-wide “Reimagine Tomorrow Global Summit” for April 13 that will be “the first gathering of our employees worldwide to discuss our progress on and plans for improving diversity, equity and inclusion at Disney,” with Chapek participating.”

Disney has 77,000 employees in Florida, where it operates both parks and cruises. Pre-COVID, Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products division accounted for more than one-third of all company revenue. In fiscal 2021, when still contending with the pandemic, the division brought in $16.5 billion in revenue and $471 million in operating income. In 2019, its last full year pre-COVID, the division had $26.2 billion in revenue, and operating income of $6.8 billion.
Though Disney declined to comment on the Florida legislation, the company’s website affirms support for freedom of identity and expression: “Disney is a leader in LGBTQ workplace equality and content and is committed to inclusive workplaces, and supports welcoming environments in local communities.” Its philanthropic record over the years includes support of LGBTQ+ organizations such as Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, GLSEN, Trevor Project and Outfest, among others. Disney started offering benefits to partners of LGBTQ employees in 1996 and three years later launched the first Disney Pride group.

Benjamin Siemon, whose work for Disney includes like Ducktales and the podcast This Duckburg Life, wrote: “I love and have loved working for Disney, but I am deeply saddened by their silence when it comes to speaking out against the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, especially now that an amendment suggests teachers must disclose a student’s sexuality even if they know that child will be harmed.”

The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell wrote recently that Disney cut checks to Florida State Sen. Dennis Baxley and other backers of the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, as have Comcast, NBCUniversal, Charter Communications and AT&T. “Let’s be clear: These companies have every right to donate to whomever they want. But you also have a right to know about it — and to know that, in other states, businesses have used the political power they purchase to effectively neuter culture wars.” (Disney has also contributed to legislators who oppose the bill.)

Last week, when Disney said it was “pause” releasing films in Russia becaiuse of the war in Ukraine, Simeon wrote: This is good. Now @disney should stop releasing movies in Florida as they try to make it illegal for teachers to acknowledge that gay people exist.”

This is good. Now @disney should stop releasing movies in Florida as they try to make it illegal for teachers to acknowledge that gay people exist. https://t.co/pAY3qBo92H
— Benjamin Siemon (@BenjaminJS) March 1, 2022

If the legislative session ends on time, the final vote will have to come either this week or next. After highschool students wearing masks got him angry earlier today, Governor Ron DeSantis, who fully supports the bill, yelled at them Siemeon wrote: “I yell at children, vote for me, Ron DeSantis!”