The inside story of how Disney turned its back on the LGBTQ community

[Nevilledog]

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Judd Legum
@JuddLegum
UPDATE: @Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced today during a shareholder meeting that the company opposes the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Chapek said he called DeSantis this AM.

The announcement comes one day after the Florida Senate approved the bill by 3 votes!

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The inside story of how Disney turned its back on the LGBTQ community
Disney is happy to profit off the LGBTQ community. For example, it serves as a host for Gay Days, "an Orlando gathering that generally attracts over 150,000 people each June." Disney offers a full...
12:31 PM · Mar 9, 2022

https://popular.info/p/the-inside-story-of-how-disney-turned?s=w

Disney is happy to profit off the LGBTQ community. For example, it serves as a host for Gay Days, "an Orlando gathering that generally attracts over 150,000 people each June." Disney offers a full array of LGBTQ-themed clothing and accessories available for purchase.

But Disney's solidarity with the LGBTQ community has its limits. The Florida legislature has been considering a bill, HB 1557, which would prohibit "instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3." That means, for example, that a teacher could not explain what it means that Minnie Mouse is wearing a rainbow dress on the little girl's t-shirt in the image above.

The bill, known as "Don't Say Gay," also prohibits instruction "on sexual orientation or gender identity" in grades 4 and up "in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students." Neither "age appropriate" nor "developmentally appropriate" is defined in the legislation. The ambiguity is likely to chill any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity throughout the Florida K-12 educational system. Any teacher who broaches these topics could open up their school to a lawsuit.

The bill was approved by the Florida House on February 24 and a final vote is expected in the Senate today. But throughout the entire process, Disney, which employs tens of thousands of people in the state, has remained silent.

In response to calls to action and protests by the LGBTQ community, Disney issued a statement to Good Morning America on March 3. Disney's statement pointedly did not reference the Don't Say Gay bill at all. Instead, the company asserted it should remain focused on producing "inspiring content" which could make the "biggest difference."

*snip*

[IngridsLittleAngel]

1. I'm glad this is being called out...

And I thank you for posting this.

Disney has done a "terrific" job for many years now, talking a big game about LGBTQ rights and being allies... so long as they can profit from it. However, when it comes time to take a real stand, like over "Don't Say Gay"? We get corporate doublespeak, talking out of both sides of their mouth, and no effort at taking a real stand or being an ally.

Why? No money to be gained out of standing up? They just don't care about LGBTQ's at all? A mixture of both?

Either way... Disney's empty words don't mean shit to me.

[Carlitos Brigante]

2. If they cared so goddamn much. How come I'm not reading about the pressure

Disney put on the Senate to peel off, say 3-4 votes. If this was a bill to raise taxes on corporations in FL. Something tells me they would've lobbied the fuck out of it.