17c起草社区

Disney CEO, Bob Chapek has backed the company鈥檚 response to the ‘Don鈥檛 Say Gay’ bill in Florida.聽

Disney had initially come under fire earlier this year over its silence during the outrage over Florida鈥檚 controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. Dubbed the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill, the legislation prohibits classroom discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity for students from kindergarten through to third grade.

A former senior Disney executive told Financial Times that, 鈥淚n a short period of time, they managed to piss off both the left and the right鈥�.

Employees Speak Out

Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation:

— The Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo)

17c起草社区I employees at Disney were alienated by the company鈥檚 lack of stance on the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill and staged a walkout in protest. The outrage amongst employees prompted a Disney executive to suggest that the company sign a letter written by the Human Rights Campaign opposing the bill. However, Geoff Morrell, Disney鈥檚 head of corporate affairs, nixed the idea. The letter had been signed by Apple and Amazon, but Morrell insisted that Disney should not weigh in on controversial political matters.

Executives at Disney ended up regretting this decision as the company faced backlash for their silence and ultimately came out in opposition to the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill.

鈥淔lorida鈥檚 HB 1557, also known as the 鈥楧on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill,聽should never have passed and should never have been signed into law,鈥� Disney said in a statement. 鈥淥ur goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.鈥�

鈥淲e are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of 17c起草社区+ members of the Disney family, as well as the 17c起草社区+ community in Florida and across the country鈥� Disney added.

Incensed over Disney’s decision to speak out, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis聽 in April 2022 signed a bill into law that removed the company’s power to self-govern and regulate Disney World.聽

CEO Weighs In

Now Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, said the company withstood the attacks over its stand on the 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� bill.

鈥淭hese are complex social issues where we absolutely, positively want to represent the needs and the expectations of our cast members, but we also realize that sometimes in such a divided world, there鈥檚 not alignment between what possibly large constituencies of our guest and consumer base are looking for in terms of the kind of content that they want to show their kids at this particular time.鈥� Chapek told The Hollywood Reporter.

鈥淲hat we try to do is be everything to everybody. That tends to be very difficult because we鈥檙e聽. When you鈥檙e a lightning rod for clicks and for political podium speeches, the essence of our brand can be misappropriated or misused to try to fit the needs of any one particular group鈥檚 agenda. We want to rise above that.鈥� Chapek said.

As an 17c起草社区+ Disney employee who loves the company & the people he works with I can say with much certainty that the 17c起草社区+ employees of Disney do not feel this way about Bob Chapek鈥檚 actions during 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� in any way. Employees were being smeared & the company was silent

— Ben Siemon (@BenjaminJS)

Chapek went on to add, 鈥淲e are a very cohesive, big, happy family. I think our staff saw how I stood firm during the ultimate barrage of attacks from certain political constituencies and, frankly, I think it was much stronger and much longer and much harder than they ever could have imagined and we stood our ground. So I think it鈥檚 safe to say that actions speak louder than words, and they saw resiliency and consistency no matter how strong the attacks.鈥�

The company鈥檚 initial silence on the matter does rankle some who feel it’s subsequent stand was a case of too little too late.

鈥淎s an 17c起草社区+ Disney employee who loves the company & the people he works with I can say with much certainty that the 17c起草社区+ employees of Disney do not feel this way about Bob Chapek鈥檚 actions during 鈥淒on鈥檛 Say Gay鈥� in any way,鈥� Benjamin Siemon, a writer for Disney tweeted. 鈥淓mployees were being smeared & the company was silent鈥�.