Disney slams Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill after DeSantis signs off
Disney and CEO Bob Chapek faced criticism from employees, fans about initial silence on the bill
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Disney slammed Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill after the legislation was officially signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
"Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law," the company said in a statement. "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country."
The Parental Rights in Education bill prohibits Florida educators from teaching about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, with a provision that enables parents to sue if they allege schools or instructors have been in violation.
DISNEY HAS BEEN OUTSPOKEN ON DESANTIS' PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL BUT SILENT ON UYGHUR GENOCIDE
The statement comes after the entertainment giant and CEO Bob Chapek's initial silence on the bill was criticized by its employees and fans. Chapek has since spoken out against the bill during Disney's annual shareholder meeting and in a memo to staff earlier this month.
Chapek pledged that Disney would pause all political donations in Florida and contribute millions of dollars to LGBTQ+ causes. He also promised to meet with DeSantis to express his and Disney's opposition to the legislation.
"You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down," Chapek said in a statement on March 11. "I am sorry."
Bob Chapek, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, during the opening ceremony for Avengers Campus inside Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California, on June 2, 2021. (Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images / Getty Images)
However, it was not enough to stop an employee walkout on March 22 demanding that the company do more to protect its LGBTQ+ staff.
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In addition to Disney's public condemnation of the bill, several of the company's social media accounts have released statements showing their support for LGBTQ+ employees, colleagues, families, storytellers and fans.
Disney also reinstated a same-sex kiss into its Pixar’s next feature film, "Lightyear," according to Variety, and donated $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign, which said it would reject the money "until we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates to ensure that dangerous proposals, like Florida’s Don’t Say Gay or Trans bill, don’t become dangerous laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 115.67 | +0.94 | +0.82% |
Shares of Disney are down 12% year to date.