“These and all of our diverse stories are our corporate statements-and they are more powerful than any tweet or lobbying effort,” Chapek said.
To further that point the CEO tossed out titles like Encanto, Black Panther, Pose, Reservation Dogs, Coco, Soul, Modern Family, Shang-Chi, Summer of Soul, and Love, Victor as examples of where Disney’s true heart supposedly lies. Stressing that the House of Mouse is in step with “Disney LGBTQ+ leaders,” wider members of the LGBTQ+ community and others for the “same goal of a more tolerant, respectful world,” Chapek notes “where we may differ is in the tactics to get there.” NEW: Disney responds to protests and calls for action surrounding Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Bill, saying in part, "The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce."ĭisney has close to 80,000 employees in Florida as it continues to move most of its Southern California-based jobs not fully dedicated to Disneyland in its Parks, Experiences and Products Division to a new regional facility in central Florida. Right after the second tweet from the Disney heir, the company issued a statement via GMA that did not directly address the Florida bill or respond to Abagail Disney but instead insisted, “The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce” - which is kind of what Chapek said in a longer fashion today in a further attempt to contain the PR spill. Disney and great-niece of Walt Disney on March 3. Not saying anything is saying a lot,” tweeted the daughter of Roy E.
“When laws are being passed that are this hateful and dripping with prejudice, there is no neutrality. Heading into a shareholders’ meeting on March 9, Chapek’s non-statement Monday also comes after long-time critic Abagail Disney took the company to task. I'm with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy. With almost 20 other states contemplating similar legislation, this latest lurch to the far-right has become a renewed strategic front in America’s culture wars - a battlefield Disney is declining to step on, for now.Īs the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill advanced through legislative channels in Florida, Chapek’s predecessor took to social media late last month to with a fairly unequivocal stance: Besides the ban itself and the effect it will have directly on younger students, including those from single sex parented families, another concern many critics of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ have is the long-term spillover through students lives. If that occurs, virtually all discussion or teaching about the LGBTQ+ community and “sexual orientation or gender identity” will be banned in the state’s public school system from kindergarten to the 3rd Grade. With hand on bureaucratic heart, the man who used to run DisneyWorld and other theme parks for the company said “we are going to have a more fulsome conversation about this at the company-wide Reimagine Tomorrow Summit in April.” Timing that will likely have seen Florida Governor and potential 20124 POTUS candidate Ron DeSantis already having signed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill into law.
#Don t make it gay meme update#
'SNL's Weekend Update Tackles 'Euphoria' Criticism, Pat Sajak's Defense Of 'Wheel Of Fortune' Contestants, Florida's 'Don’t Say Gay’ Bill & More