Disney now says is opposed to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill : NPR

Contents:

• DISNEY CEO SAYS PANY OPPOS 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL FLORIDA, SEEKS MEETG WH DESANTIS
• DISNEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ADMS TO ‘GAY AGENDA,’ ‘ADDG QUEERNS’ WHEREVER SHE COULD
• DISNEY EMPLOYE STAGE WALKOUT TO MAND ACTN AGAST 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL
• DISNEY CENSORS GAY CONTENT, ACRDG TO DISNEY EMPLOYEIN A STATEMENT, PIXAR EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT THEIR ATTEMPTS AT CLUDG “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEIR FILMS HAVE BEEN THWARTED BY RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY. BY CHRIS MURPHYMARCH 10, 2022© 2022 DISNEY/PIXARSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEPIXAR EMPLOYE ARE SPEAKG OUT ABOUT ALLEGED CENSORSHIP THEY FACED WHEN ATTEMPTG TO CLU MOMENTS OF SAME-SEX SENTIMENT THEIR FILMS. IN A STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO “THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLI” OBTAED BY VARIETY, THE EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAVE AXED “NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEY’VE TRIED TO SERT TO THEIR WORK, “REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR.”DISNEY IS CURRENTLY RECEIVG HARSH BACKLASH OM THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY FOR S IAL RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S NTROVERSIAL “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AS WELL AS THE STUD’S REPORTED FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE BILL’S SPONSORS AND SPONSORS. THE STATEMENT OM THE PIXAR EMPLOYE IS A RPONSE TO A PANY-WI MEMO SENT BY DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK, WHICH CHAPEK SAID THAT THE “BIGGT IMPACT WE N HAVE CREATG A MORE CLIVE WORLD IS THROUGH THE SPIRG NTENT WE PRODUCE.”BUT THE PIXAR EMPLOYE BEHD THE LETTER SAY THEY’VE FELT STIFLED AND STYMIED THEIR ATTEMPTS TO CLU MORE CLIVE NTENT THEIR FILMS. “WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE,” THE LETTER STAT. “EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG .”PIXAR MA HEADL 2020 FOR TRODUCG S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER, SPECTER—A CYCLOPS POLICE OFFICER VOICED BY LENA WAHE— THE FILM ONWARD. AS VARIETY NOT, SPECTER’S QUEER INTY, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY ADDRSED PASSG, WH THE LE: “IT’S NOT EASY BEG A NEW PARENT—MY GIRLIEND’S DGHTER GOT ME PULLG MY HAIR OUT, OKAY?” ONWARD WAS BANNED KUWA, OMAN, QATAR, AND SDI ARABIA DUE TO THE SCENE, AND THE WORD “GIRLIEND” WAS CHANGED TO “PARTNER” THE RSIAN RELEASE OF THE FILM, ACRDG TO VARIETY. DISNEY ALSO RELEASED OUT, A SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY MAN WHO STGGL WH G OUT TO HIS PARENTS, ON DISNEY+ THAT SAME YEAR.THE PIXAR EMPLOYEE LETTER MANDS THAT DISNEY WHDRAW FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL LEGISLATORS WHO SUPPORTED THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL AND “TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND” AGAST ALL SUCH LEGISLATN. AT A SHAREHOLR’S MEETG ON WEDNDAY, CHAPEK SAID THAT DISNEY WOULD PLEDGE $5 LN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND OTHER LGBTQ RIGHTS ANIZATNS, AND SAID THAT HE LLED FLORIDA ERNOR RON DESANTIS TO DISCS DISNEY’S “NCERN” WH THE BILL. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN LATER ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REFE DISNEY’S DONATN UNTIL “MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN TO BAT” THE LEGISLATN. “WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH,” READS THE LETTER OM PIXAR’S LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE. “DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE ‘BOTH SIS’—AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG.” DISNEY DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RPOND TO A REQUT FOR MENT.YOU N READ THE LETTER FULL BELOW:A STATEMENT TO LEARSHIP OM THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR & THEIR ALLIWE ARE WRG BEE WE ARE DISAPPOTED, HURT, AAID, AND ANGRY. IN REGARDS TO DISNEY’S FANCIAL VOLVEMENT WH LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, WE HOPED THAT OUR PANY WOULD SHOW UP FOR . BUT DIDN’T.MONDAY’S EMAIL, “OUR UNWAVERG COMMMENT TO THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY”, RANG HOLLOW. IT BEGAN WH THE CLAIM THAT DISNEY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTG THE LGBT MUNY, BUT DISNEY PARKS DID NOT OFFICIALLY HOST PRI UNTIL 2019, PARIS ALONE. DISNEY HAS A HISTORY OF SHUTTG DOWN FAN-CREATED PRI EVENTS THE PARKS, EVEN REMOVG SAME-SEX UPL FOR DANCG TOGETHER THE 1980’S. ADDNALLY, DISNEY BEGAN PALIZG ON PRI 2018 WH THE RABOW MICKEY COLLECTN, (WHILE -EMPHASIZG THE TERMS LIKE LGBTQ+ AND NOT EVEN FEATURG EXPLICLY LGBTQIA+ PIEC SUCH AS PRI FLAG PS UNTIL 2021). TO THIS END, FEELS TERRIBLE TO BE A PART OF A PANY THAT MAK MONEY OM PRI MERCH WHEN CHOOS TO “STEP BACK” TIM OF OUR GREATT NEED, WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE AT RISK.THE SEND CLAIM STATED THAT “RPORATE STATEMENTS DO VERY LTLE TO CHANGE OUT OR MDS”. HOWEVER, THE VERY EMAIL MAKG THIS CLAIM OPENED WH A RPORATE STATEMENT REGARDG THE ONGOG SUATN UKRAE. EIGHT DAYS AFTER RSIA VAD UKRAE, DISNEY PSED THE RELEASE OF THEATRIL FILMS RSIA AND ANNOUNCED “WE WILL MAKE FUTURE BS CISNS BASED ON THE EVOLVG SUATN.” FOLLOWG THE SIEGE ON THE PAL 2021, DISNEY STOPPED ALL POLIL DONATNS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRS WHO HAD OBJECTED TO THE PRINTIAL ELECTN RULTS. IN 2016, DISNEY TOLD THE STATE OF GEIA: “WE WILL PLAN TO TAKE OUR BS ELSEWHERE SHOULD ANY LEGISLATN ALLOWG DISCRIMATORY PRACTIC BE SIGNED TO STATE LAW” RPONSE TO THE NTROVERSIAL RELIG LIBERTY BILL. BY TAKG A STAND, DISNEY DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE LEGISLATIVE OUTE GEIA. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT DISNEY’S RPORATE STATEMENTS N AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.FALLY, WE E TO THE PH FOR CONTENT AS THE ANSWER. WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE. NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN IS CUT AT DISNEY’S BEHT, REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR. EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG . BEYOND THE “SPIRG NTENT” THAT WE AREN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO CREATE, WE REQUIRE ACTN.WE ARE LLG ON DISNEY LEARSHIP TO IMMEDIATELY WHDRAW ALL FANCIAL SUPPORT OM THE LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, TO FULLY NOUNCE THIS LEGISLATN PUBLICLY, AND TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THEIR FANCIAL VOLVEMENT. WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. THROUGHOUT THE SHAREHOLR MEETG, DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE “BOTH SIS” – AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG. THIS IS NOT WHAT MEANS TO “UNEQUIVOLLY STAND SUPPORT OF OUR LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE, THEIR FAI, AND THEIR MUNI.”DISNEY TAKG A STAND BY HONORG THEIR PANY VALU HAS CHANGED THE URSE OF LEGISLATN THE PAST. IF DISNEY IS TE S VALU, WILL TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND AGAST THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN OCCURRG FLORIDA AND OFFER TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQIA+ MUNI AFFECTED BY BIGOTED LEGISLATN SWEEPG THE UNTRY. STAND AGAST THIS BILL FLORIDA AND AGAST THE SIAR BILLS SOUTH CAROLA, ARIZONA, VIRGIA, AND TENNSEE. STAND AGAST THE TRANSPHOBIC LEGISLATN TEXAS, IOWA, UTAH, KANSAS, INDIANA, LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, AND ALABAMA. MANY HATEFUL GROUPS ARE ATTEMPTG TO ERADITE THROUGH LEGISLATN – WE NEED YOU TO STAND WH ENTIRELY, NOT EMPTY WORDS.THIS MATTER IS NOT SOMETHG THAT N WA UNTIL REIMAGE TOMORROW APRIL, OR PRI MONTH JUNE. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRSED NOW. THIS IS URGENT. 42% OF LGBTQIA+ YOUTH SERLY NSIRED SUICI 2021, CLUDG MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENR AND NONBARY YOUTH, WH A LARGE FACTOR BEG THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATNS ENABLE. DISNEY CLAIMS TO RE FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN, BUT SUPPORTG POLICIANS LIKE THIS DIRECTLY HURTS ONE OF THEIR MOST VULNERABLE DIENC. THERE ARE LIV AT STAKE AND DISNEY’S SUPPORT ULD SAVE THOSE LIV. “WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO,” YOUR EMAIL SAID. THIS IS THAT WORK.SIGNED WH PRI,THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLIMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHZENDAYA PAYS TRIBUTE TO “BROTHER” ANG CLOUD: “I’LL CHERISH EVERY MOMENT”BY SAVANNAH WALSHFRAN DRCHER PREDICTS 6 MORE MONTHS OF ACTORS STRIKE: “WE’RE REALLY IT TO W IT”BY SAVANNAH WALSHCHRIS MURPHY
• AFTER PROTTS, DISNEY CEO SPEAKS OUT AGAST FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL
• DISNEY TO HOST GAY RIGHTS SUMM ORLANDO
• DISNEY SAYS SUPPORTS GAY RIGHTS WH ‘SPIRG NTENT’ SPE DONATG TO ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL BACKERS
• DISNEY WORKERS WALK OUT OVER THE PANY'S RPONSE TO SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL
• DISNEY VOWS TO HELP REPEAL 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW, SAYS FLORIDA GOV. DESANTIS SHOULDN'T HAVE SIGNED
• DISNEY’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ MISSTEP THREATENS TO OVERSHADOW CHAPEK’S REIGN AS CEODISNEY’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ MISSTEP THREATENS TO OVERSHADOW CHAPEK’S REIGN AS CEO
• HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN REJECTS DISNEY DONATN ‘UNTIL MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN’ ON ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL
• STRICTLY LEGAL: SU OVER 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL FAILS
• DISNEY’S “DON’T SAY GAY” STANCE WASN’T THE FIRST TIME BETRAYED S LGBTQ FANS

DISNEY CEO SAYS PANY OPPOS 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL FLORIDA, SEEKS MEETG WH DESANTIS

Disney’s ntroversial rponse to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill unrsr the pany’s plited history wh the LGBTQ+ muny — a plex relatnship which Disney has played both champn and punchg bag. Earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke out about — but did not nmn — Florida’s ntroversial Parental Rights Edutn bill, which crics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay. Griff, who is also a profsor of film and media arts at Southern Methodist Universy, add that Disney has recently received a lot of publicy about var Disney films wh openly gay characters.

DISNEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ADMS TO ‘GAY AGENDA,’ ‘ADDG QUEERNS’ WHEREVER SHE COULD

Even though Disney’s re product of fay-iendly entertament hasn’t been blatant s reprentatn of gay characters, ABC — which is owned by Disney — has done so wh TV shows like “Morn Fay” and “Ellen.

”The Walt Disney Company, one of the world’s biggt media and entertament empir, pris self on a lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer (LGBTQ) iendly culture.

DISNEY EMPLOYE STAGE WALKOUT TO MAND ACTN AGAST 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL

But today s reputatn for clivy and tolerance is unr scty – as are s ep ti to the polil tablishment and the lack of LGBTQ reprentatn s ’s workers have been stagg walkouts prott at chief executive Bob Chapek’s lackltre rponse to Florida legislatn dubbed “don’t say gay”. But their prejudic were laid bare by a tweet om Christa Phaw, prs secretary for Florida’s ernor, Ron DeSantis, that said: “The bill that liberals accurately ll ‘don’t say gay’ would be more accurately scribed as an anti-groomg bill.

It has been nmned as “hateful” by Joe Bin and other Democrats who argue that monis LGBTQ, prs secretary of the LGBTQ rights anisatn Equaly Florida and a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shootg 2016, says: “The ‘don’t say gay bill’ was dubbed that by the muny bee is a bigoted, very specifilly anti-LGBTQ piece of legislatn signed to censor classroom speech about our muny. They give to a lot of Democrats, bee they want those Democrats to be on their si too, but they have given a disproportnate amount to Republin legislators, many of whom supported and voted for the ‘don’t say gay’ bill.

The Human Rights Campaign has said will stop acceptg money om Disney “until we see them build on their public mment and work wh LGBTQ+ advot to ensure that dangero proposals, like Florida’s ‘don’t say gay or trans’ bill, don’t bee dangero laws” Whehall and Ey Blunt Jungle Cise. Eric Marc, creator and host of the Makg Gay History podst, says: “Disney has cultivated an LGBTQ-iendly image, both through their cln of LGBTQ characters recent years and wh their employe, so ’s shockg but not shockg that the CEO would have been so flat-footed.

DISNEY CENSORS GAY CONTENT, ACRDG TO DISNEY EMPLOYEIN A STATEMENT, PIXAR EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT THEIR ATTEMPTS AT CLUDG “OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEIR FILMS HAVE BEEN THWARTED BY RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY. BY CHRIS MURPHYMARCH 10, 2022© 2022 DISNEY/PIXARSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEPIXAR EMPLOYE ARE SPEAKG OUT ABOUT ALLEGED CENSORSHIP THEY FACED WHEN ATTEMPTG TO CLU MOMENTS OF SAME-SEX SENTIMENT THEIR FILMS. IN A STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED TO “THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLI” OBTAED BY VARIETY, THE EMPLOYE ALLEGE THAT RPORATE EXECUTIV AT DISNEY, PIXAR’S PARENT PANY, HAVE AXED “NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN” THEY’VE TRIED TO SERT TO THEIR WORK, “REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR.”DISNEY IS CURRENTLY RECEIVG HARSH BACKLASH OM THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY FOR S IAL RPONSE TO FLORIDA’S NTROVERSIAL “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, AS WELL AS THE STUD’S REPORTED FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE BILL’S SPONSORS AND SPONSORS. THE STATEMENT OM THE PIXAR EMPLOYE IS A RPONSE TO A PANY-WI MEMO SENT BY DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK, WHICH CHAPEK SAID THAT THE “BIGGT IMPACT WE N HAVE CREATG A MORE CLIVE WORLD IS THROUGH THE SPIRG NTENT WE PRODUCE.”BUT THE PIXAR EMPLOYE BEHD THE LETTER SAY THEY’VE FELT STIFLED AND STYMIED THEIR ATTEMPTS TO CLU MORE CLIVE NTENT THEIR FILMS. “WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE,” THE LETTER STAT. “EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG .”PIXAR MA HEADL 2020 FOR TRODUCG S FIRST OPENLY GAY CHARACTER, SPECTER—A CYCLOPS POLICE OFFICER VOICED BY LENA WAHE— THE FILM ONWARD. AS VARIETY NOT, SPECTER’S QUEER INTY, HOWEVER, WAS ONLY ADDRSED PASSG, WH THE LE: “IT’S NOT EASY BEG A NEW PARENT—MY GIRLIEND’S DGHTER GOT ME PULLG MY HAIR OUT, OKAY?” ONWARD WAS BANNED KUWA, OMAN, QATAR, AND SDI ARABIA DUE TO THE SCENE, AND THE WORD “GIRLIEND” WAS CHANGED TO “PARTNER” THE RSIAN RELEASE OF THE FILM, ACRDG TO VARIETY. DISNEY ALSO RELEASED OUT, A SHORT FILM ABOUT A GAY MAN WHO STGGL WH G OUT TO HIS PARENTS, ON DISNEY+ THAT SAME YEAR.THE PIXAR EMPLOYEE LETTER MANDS THAT DISNEY WHDRAW FANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ALL LEGISLATORS WHO SUPPORTED THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL AND “TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND” AGAST ALL SUCH LEGISLATN. AT A SHAREHOLR’S MEETG ON WEDNDAY, CHAPEK SAID THAT DISNEY WOULD PLEDGE $5 LN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND OTHER LGBTQ RIGHTS ANIZATNS, AND SAID THAT HE LLED FLORIDA ERNOR RON DESANTIS TO DISCS DISNEY’S “NCERN” WH THE BILL. THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN LATER ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REFE DISNEY’S DONATN UNTIL “MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN TO BAT” THE LEGISLATN. “WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH,” READS THE LETTER OM PIXAR’S LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE. “DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE ‘BOTH SIS’—AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG.” DISNEY DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RPOND TO A REQUT FOR MENT.YOU N READ THE LETTER FULL BELOW:A STATEMENT TO LEARSHIP OM THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR & THEIR ALLIWE ARE WRG BEE WE ARE DISAPPOTED, HURT, AAID, AND ANGRY. IN REGARDS TO DISNEY’S FANCIAL VOLVEMENT WH LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, WE HOPED THAT OUR PANY WOULD SHOW UP FOR . BUT DIDN’T.MONDAY’S EMAIL, “OUR UNWAVERG COMMMENT TO THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNY”, RANG HOLLOW. IT BEGAN WH THE CLAIM THAT DISNEY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTG THE LGBT MUNY, BUT DISNEY PARKS DID NOT OFFICIALLY HOST PRI UNTIL 2019, PARIS ALONE. DISNEY HAS A HISTORY OF SHUTTG DOWN FAN-CREATED PRI EVENTS THE PARKS, EVEN REMOVG SAME-SEX UPL FOR DANCG TOGETHER THE 1980’S. ADDNALLY, DISNEY BEGAN PALIZG ON PRI 2018 WH THE RABOW MICKEY COLLECTN, (WHILE -EMPHASIZG THE TERMS LIKE LGBTQ+ AND NOT EVEN FEATURG EXPLICLY LGBTQIA+ PIEC SUCH AS PRI FLAG PS UNTIL 2021). TO THIS END, FEELS TERRIBLE TO BE A PART OF A PANY THAT MAK MONEY OM PRI MERCH WHEN CHOOS TO “STEP BACK” TIM OF OUR GREATT NEED, WHEN OUR RIGHTS ARE AT RISK.THE SEND CLAIM STATED THAT “RPORATE STATEMENTS DO VERY LTLE TO CHANGE OUT OR MDS”. HOWEVER, THE VERY EMAIL MAKG THIS CLAIM OPENED WH A RPORATE STATEMENT REGARDG THE ONGOG SUATN UKRAE. EIGHT DAYS AFTER RSIA VAD UKRAE, DISNEY PSED THE RELEASE OF THEATRIL FILMS RSIA AND ANNOUNCED “WE WILL MAKE FUTURE BS CISNS BASED ON THE EVOLVG SUATN.” FOLLOWG THE SIEGE ON THE PAL 2021, DISNEY STOPPED ALL POLIL DONATNS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRS WHO HAD OBJECTED TO THE PRINTIAL ELECTN RULTS. IN 2016, DISNEY TOLD THE STATE OF GEIA: “WE WILL PLAN TO TAKE OUR BS ELSEWHERE SHOULD ANY LEGISLATN ALLOWG DISCRIMATORY PRACTIC BE SIGNED TO STATE LAW” RPONSE TO THE NTROVERSIAL RELIG LIBERTY BILL. BY TAKG A STAND, DISNEY DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE LEGISLATIVE OUTE GEIA. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT DISNEY’S RPORATE STATEMENTS N AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.FALLY, WE E TO THE PH FOR CONTENT AS THE ANSWER. WE AT PIXAR HAVE PERSONALLY WNSED BETIFUL STORI, FULL OF DIVERSE CHARACTERS, E BACK OM DISNEY RPORATE REVIEWS SHAVED DOWN TO CMBS OF WHAT THEY ONCE WERE. NEARLY EVERY MOMENT OF OVERTLY GAY AFFECTN IS CUT AT DISNEY’S BEHT, REGARDLS OF WHEN THERE IS PROTT OM BOTH THE CREATIVE TEAMS AND EXECUTIVE LEARSHIP AT PIXAR. EVEN IF CREATG LGBTQIA+ NTENT WAS THE ANSWER TO FIXG THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN THE WORLD, WE ARE BEG BARRED OM CREATG . BEYOND THE “SPIRG NTENT” THAT WE AREN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO CREATE, WE REQUIRE ACTN.WE ARE LLG ON DISNEY LEARSHIP TO IMMEDIATELY WHDRAW ALL FANCIAL SUPPORT OM THE LEGISLATORS BEHD THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL, TO FULLY NOUNCE THIS LEGISLATN PUBLICLY, AND TO MAKE AMENDS FOR THEIR FANCIAL VOLVEMENT. WHILE SIGNG ON TO DONATE TO THE HRC IS A STEP THE RRECT DIRECTN, THE SHAREHOLR MEETG ON WEDNDAY MA CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. THROUGHOUT THE SHAREHOLR MEETG, DISNEY DID NOT TAKE A HARD STANCE SUPPORT OF THE LGBTQIA+ MUNY, THEY STEAD ATTEMPTED TO PLATE “BOTH SIS” – AND DID NOT NMN HATEFUL MSAG SHARED DURG THE QUTN AND ANSWER PORTN OF THE MEETG. THIS IS NOT WHAT MEANS TO “UNEQUIVOLLY STAND SUPPORT OF OUR LGBTQ+ EMPLOYE, THEIR FAI, AND THEIR MUNI.”DISNEY TAKG A STAND BY HONORG THEIR PANY VALU HAS CHANGED THE URSE OF LEGISLATN THE PAST. IF DISNEY IS TE S VALU, WILL TAKE A CISIVE PUBLIC STAND AGAST THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATN OCCURRG FLORIDA AND OFFER TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQIA+ MUNI AFFECTED BY BIGOTED LEGISLATN SWEEPG THE UNTRY. STAND AGAST THIS BILL FLORIDA AND AGAST THE SIAR BILLS SOUTH CAROLA, ARIZONA, VIRGIA, AND TENNSEE. STAND AGAST THE TRANSPHOBIC LEGISLATN TEXAS, IOWA, UTAH, KANSAS, INDIANA, LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, AND ALABAMA. MANY HATEFUL GROUPS ARE ATTEMPTG TO ERADITE THROUGH LEGISLATN – WE NEED YOU TO STAND WH ENTIRELY, NOT EMPTY WORDS.THIS MATTER IS NOT SOMETHG THAT N WA UNTIL REIMAGE TOMORROW APRIL, OR PRI MONTH JUNE. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRSED NOW. THIS IS URGENT. 42% OF LGBTQIA+ YOUTH SERLY NSIRED SUICI 2021, CLUDG MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENR AND NONBARY YOUTH, WH A LARGE FACTOR BEG THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT THE DISCRIMATORY LEGISLATNS ENABLE. DISNEY CLAIMS TO RE FOR THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN, BUT SUPPORTG POLICIANS LIKE THIS DIRECTLY HURTS ONE OF THEIR MOST VULNERABLE DIENC. THERE ARE LIV AT STAKE AND DISNEY’S SUPPORT ULD SAVE THOSE LIV. “WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO,” YOUR EMAIL SAID. THIS IS THAT WORK.SIGNED WH PRI,THE LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYE OF PIXAR, AND THEIR ALLIMORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR— JERRY LEWIS’S COSTARS SPEAK OUT: “HE GRABBED ME. HE BEGAN TO FONDLE ME. I WAS DUMBSTCK”— INSI CHARLIZE THERON AND TOM HARDY’S MAD MAX WAR— INVENTG ANNA IS A “DANGERO” DISTORTN, SAYS RACHEL WILLIAMS— HOW THE GUN ALEC BALDW’S HANDS TURNED THE RT SET DEADLY— LOVE IS BLD SEASON TWO IS PEAK RED FLAG TELEVISN— PACHKO FIRST LOOK: AN EPIC TALE, AND A HISTORY-MAKG SHOW— VANY FAIR’S HOLLYWOOD ISSUE 2022: SEE THE FULL PORTFOL FEATURG NILE KIDMAN, KRISTEN STEWART, AND MORE— THE UGLY TTH OF HOW MOVIE SR ARE MA— KIRSTEN DUNST ON HER FIRST OSR NOMATN FOR THE POWER OF THE DOG— FROM THE ARCHIVE: WH FRIENDS LIKE THE— SIGN UP FOR THE “HWD DAILY” NEWSLETTER FOR MT-READ DTRY AND AWARDS VERAGE—PL A SPECIAL WEEKLY EDN OF “AWARDS INSIR.”MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHZENDAYA PAYS TRIBUTE TO “BROTHER” ANG CLOUD: “I’LL CHERISH EVERY MOMENT”BY SAVANNAH WALSHFRAN DRCHER PREDICTS 6 MORE MONTHS OF ACTORS STRIKE: “WE’RE REALLY IT TO W IT”BY SAVANNAH WALSHCHRIS MURPHY

Photograph: APFor s the stud’s output was steadfastly heterosexual even though s creative talents clud gay people such as Howard Ashman, an Osr wner who wrote the lyrics for The Ltle Mermaid and Bety and the Beast before his ath om Aids has been some progrs sce then wh a growg LGBTQ portrayals films and TV shows and the sellg of LGBTQ pri-themed merchandise at Disney stor. “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar.

AFTER PROTTS, DISNEY CEO SPEAKS OUT AGAST FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL

Disney employe staged a walkout Tuday prott of the pany’s rponse to Florida’s ntroversial Parental Rights Edutn law, which crics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. In terms of the LGBTQ+ muny, though, Disney’s relatnship go far eper, and has veloped ways the pany self n never have Disney was never a rd-rryg homophobe but he was a steadfast nservative, and long after his ath 1966, Disney’s output ntued to promote “tradnal” and “fay” valu. That didn’t disunt “dg” Disney characters (ually villas) as queer, that they exhibed stereotypilly gay attribut such as effemate behavur or distert the oppose sex: Jafar Aladd, for example, or Sr The Ln Kg, or even Shere Khan the tiger The Jungle Book.

Compose: Guardian DignIn the early years, Disney would warn “straight” visors when was Gay Day and hand out whe T-shirts to non-participants who had advertently turned up wearg red.

DISNEY TO HOST GAY RIGHTS SUMM ORLANDO

There is no end of rabow-loured Disney merchandise on sale, and Disney acmodat and facilat the Gay Day schle of events, cludg a week-long ftival takg place across the cy, wh club nights, drag shows, pool parti, and special hotel his first Florida Gay Day 1998, Shapiro found a sister Gay Day Anaheim at the Los Angel Disneyland. Even if s “openly gay character” proclamatns rarely live up to the billg, there have been fleetg referenc to same-sex relatnships movi cludg Toy Story 4 (two women drop off their dghter at krgarten); Onward (Lena Wahe’s p refers to her girliend); the live-actn Bety and the Beast remake (the character LeFou, played by Josh Gad, is telegraphed as gay and danc wh another man, although not even Gad was particularly proud of that one; “I don’t thk we did jtice to what a real gay character a Disney film should be, ” he admted). But potentially more harmful than the attacks on Disney is the “Don’t say gay” bill self, which is likely to e long-lastg harm to Florida’s young LGBTQ+ people and their wh prev ocsns when nservativ have “gone after Mickey Moe”, this latt attack is likely to blow over.

Bob Chapek, DisneyJeff Grchen | MediaNews Group | Orange County Register via Getty ImagThe Walt Disney Company is now publicly opposg Florida's ntroversial "Don't Say Gay" Wednday, CEO Bob Chapek addrsed the pany's stance on the bill and acknowledged that s origal approach "didn't get the job done.

Florida passed s "Don't Say Gay" bill earlier this week, which forbids stctn on sexual orientatn and genr inty public schools for krgarten through third gra.

DISNEY SAYS SUPPORTS GAY RIGHTS WH ‘SPIRG NTENT’ SPE DONATG TO ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL BACKERS

DeSantis this morng to exprs our disappotment and ncern that if legislatn be law uld be ed to unfairly target gay, lbian, nonbary and transgenr kids and fai, " Chapek said. Durg a staff meetg on Florida’s recent enactment of the Parental Rights Edutn bill, an executive producer at Disney said she was advancg a “not-at-all-secret gay agenda” to sert queerns to children’s Ravene, executive producer for Disney Televisn Animatn, talked about how the stud’s treatment of her progrsive ias fied her negative expectatns of the pany, a vio obtaed by journalist Christopher Rufo. Ravene’s leaked ments me out Tuday, the day after Florida ernor Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights Edutn bill, dubbed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill by crics, which prohibs the teachg of genr inty and sexual orientatn to children krgarten through third ’s learship nmned the legislatn and attempted to lobby DeSantis to kill , but he refed to budge.

A group of California Disney employe staged a walkout last week to prott the measure, wearg rabow lors, holdg signs wh pro-LGBTQ slogans, and shoutg, “Say Gay, ” as they marched down the ernor slammed the pany for s hypocrisy phg domtic social-jtice while nductg bs Cha wh the blsg of the Che Communist Party, a regime notor for human-rights ab relatg to the Uyghur Mlims, Hong Kong, Tibet, etc. Ron DeSantis signed the Parental Rights Edutn Act, which crics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” bill bee prohibs classroom discsn of sexual orientatn or genr inty wh stunts gras K-3, emed velopmentally or age appropriate. Joni Madison, the group’s terim print, said that HRC wants to see Disney “build on their public mment and work wh LGBTQ+ advot to ensure that dangero proposals, like Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill, don’t bee dangero laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books.

DISNEY WORKERS WALK OUT OVER THE PANY'S RPONSE TO SO-LLED 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL

LGBTQ workers and employee alli at The Walt Disney Company staged a walkout prott of Florida's Parental Rights Edutn bill, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by employe have been walkg out each day sce March 15 om 3 to 3:15 p. "The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) LGBTQIA+ muny and their alli are termed to take a stand agast TWDC’s apathy the face of the bigoted 'Don’t Say Gay' bill put forth by the FL state legislature, " the prott's webse employe prott agast Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, Glendale, California, March 22, Chiu/Rters"The recent statements and lack of actn by TWDC learship regardg the 'Don’t Say Gay' bill have utterly failed to match the magnu of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety reprented by this legislatn, " the webse says. It would also allow parents to sue schools that engage the employe prott agast Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, Glendale, California, March 22, Chiu/RtersDisney CEO Bob Chapek has been cricized for his rponse to the bill, first for his silence on the legislatn and later for not outright nmng the bill his public has sce said he would pledge $5 ln to groups advotg for LGTBQ+ rights and protectns and add that he has ntacted Gov.

Dunn herself took a moment of silence durg her broadst employe prott agast Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill, Glendale, California, March 22, Chiu/Rters"We unrstand the gravy of this legislatn and also how is affectg so many fai across this untry, and bee of that our allyship is gog to take a ont seat, and wh that, we're gog to pse solidary, " Dunn 's Carolyn Peck and Courtney Lyle also remaed silent for two mut solidary wh their workers durg the Women's NCAA Tournament.

In a statement attributed to “the LGBTQIA+ employe of Pixar, and their alli” obtaed by Variety, the employe allege that rporate executiv at Disney, Pixar’s parent pany, have axed “nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn” they’ve tried to sert to their work, “regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar. ”Disney is currently receivg harsh backlash om the LGBTQIA+ muny for s ial rponse to Florida’s ntroversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, as well as the stud’s reported fancial support for all of the bill’s sponsors and sponsors. Disney also released Out, a short film about a gay man who stggl wh g out to his parents, on Disney+ that same Pixar employee letter mands that Disney whdraw fancial support for all legislators who supported the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and “take a cisive public stand” agast all such legislatn.

DISNEY VOWS TO HELP REPEAL 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW, SAYS FLORIDA GOV. DESANTIS SHOULDN'T HAVE SIGNED

Nearly every moment of overtly gay affectn is cut at Disney’s beht, regardls of when there is prott om both the creative teams and executive learship at Pixar. Beyond the “spirg ntent” that we aren’t even allowed to create, we require are llg on Disney learship to immediately whdraw all fancial support om the legislators behd the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, to fully nounce this legislatn publicly, and to make amends for their fancial volvement. Ron DeSantis Wednday morng, "to exprs our disappotment and ncern that if the legislatn be law, uld be ed to unfairly target gay, lbian, non-bary and transgenr kids and fai.

"The Human Rights Campaign will not accept this money om Disney until we see them build on their public mment and work wh LGBTQ+ advot to ensure that dangero proposals, like Florida's Don't Say Gay or Trans bill, don't bee dangero laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books, " says Joni Madison, Interim Print of the Human Rights Campaign a statement. Acrdg to the acuntabily news se Popular Informatn, " the last two years, Disney has donated $197, 162 to members of the Florida legislature that have already voted for the 'Don't Say Gay' legislatn, " cludg to sponsors of the bill, Florida Rep. Will host a major nference promotg lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr rights the workplace Central Florida this September, gatherg executiv and profsnals om the world’s largt pani a fiant display of the lims of Florida Gov.

DISNEY’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ MISSTEP THREATENS TO OVERSHADOW CHAPEK’S REIGN AS CEODISNEY’S ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ MISSTEP THREATENS TO OVERSHADOW CHAPEK’S REIGN AS CEO

It was seen as punishment over the pany’s opposn to Florida’s Parental Rights Edutn legislatn, known wily as the state’s Don’t Say Gay bill, which prohibs any discsn of sexual orientatn or genr inty classrooms before fourth has had a longstandg relatnship wh Out & Equal, the anizatn behd the event, and is listed on s webse as one of s most genero Florida rort has mted to hostg the nference this year and next, which will ci wh the printial electn mpaign 2024. ”In his recently released book, DeSantis scrib how, after “Disney clared war on Florida fai” by opposg the Parental Rights Edutn bill, also known as the Don’t Say Gay bill, and “dulged woke activism, ” he asked the Legislature “to reevaluate — and even elimate — Disney’s special al.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN REJECTS DISNEY DONATN ‘UNTIL MEANGFUL ACTN IS TAKEN’ ON ‘DON’T SAY GAY’ BILL

”Last year’s Out & Equal nference Las Vegas clud multiple speakers who advoted for the rights of transgenr youth, and provid atten wh guidance on how to navigate anti-LGBTQ bills at the state of tensnTensn between DeSantis and Disney arose last sprg when Disney publicly opposed Florida’s Parental Rights Edutn Act, also known as the Don’t Say Gay bill. Get our ee weekly email for all the latt cematic news om our film cric Clarisse LoughreyGet our The Life Cematic email for eeDisney has issued a statement of support for the LGBTQ+ muny spe beg revealed that the pany donated sums of money to Florida Republins supportg the “Don’t Say Gay” year, at least three Disney enti gave the chief sponsors of Florida’s so-lled “Don’t Say Gay” legislatn $4, 000 (£3, 021) bed for their 2022 re-electn mpaigns. Officially tled the Hoe Bill 1557, “Don’t Say Gay”, as ’s referred to by crics, has been nmned by mocrats, parents and the Whe Hoe, which has scribed the legislatn as “hateful” be law, will censor nversatns about homosexualy and genr inty Florida’s a statement issued via Good Morng Ameri, the Walt Disney Company stated: “We unrstand how important this issue is to our LGBTQ+ employe and many others.

STRICTLY LEGAL: SU OVER 'DON'T SAY GAY' BILL FAILS

”The current Disney CEO Bob Chapek is yet to make a personal statement beyond the official Disney pany his on-screen alter-ego, ‘Frozen’’s Olaf (Shutterstock/Featureflash Photo Agency)The Senate sponsor for the “Don’t Say Gay” legislatn, Ola Republin Dennis Baxley, has prevly supported other anti-gay Apple TV+ ee for 7 daysNew subscribers only. Plan to-renews until ncelledTry for eeIn 2013, he pared gay parents to dg abers and abive said: “I mean I sat an hour and a half wh a teacher tellg me, ‘Well this child has got serial men g through the hoe, this one has two mummi, this one has an abive father who’s home, this has alholism, this one has dg abe. ”Wrer of Disney’s animated seri Ducktal Benjam Siemon wrote that he is “eply sadned” by the pany’s “silence when to speakg out agast the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill” Inpennt has ntacted a reprentative of Disney for ment.

The full-sle walkout me after Disney employe planned a seri of smaller walkouts durg their 15-mute breaks to urge the pany to take a stronger stance agast the Parental Rights Edutn legislatn, which advot have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

DISNEY’S “DON’T SAY GAY” STANCE WASN’T THE FIRST TIME BETRAYED S LGBTQ FANS

"The recent statements by The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) learship regardg the Florida legislature's recent 'Don't Say Gay' bill have utterly failed to match the magnu of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety reprented by this legislatn, " an open letter by Disney employe reads. It’s also ma Disney the target of right-wg protters who have lled for a Disney employe who spoke wh The Verge say there’s ltle chance the chaos surroundg the pany’s “Don’t Say Gay” rponse, particular, would have happened on the watch of ’s reimaged DisneyChapek’s promotn to chief of Disney cid wh a pivotal time for the pany.

And while ’s too soon to say whether his strategy is gog to work, Chapek seems ls ncerned wh alienatg employe or alli if means he pulls ’s “Don’t Say Gay” misstepBut Chapek’s handlg of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill Florida — and his refal to speak out about — has arguably been the sgle greatt public embarrassment for the pany to date. ”“We are dog our bt to be patient and wa to see what learship will do next”At the same time, the anizers of the Disney Walkout movement — who spoke wh The Verge over email as a group — noted that while even lger has spoken out publicly agast discrimatory legislatn while leadg the pany, “the polil donatns to the Florida policians behd the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill have been occurrg sce even Iger’s tenure as CEO. ” Ceasg donatns to polil figur and groups that actively work to advance legislatn like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill is one of the re mands of LGBTQ-pl employe behd the Where Is Chapek iative.

On top of that, a patently homophobic rally was held at Disney Studs Burbank last week, and right-wg media has seized on the chance to blast the Disney has publicly said would like to see the “Don’t Say Gay” bill repealed, the walkout anizers say that as of last week, there had been no other munitn by Disney’s learship to employe about how ’s actively workg toward that goal.