As Daily Kos has continued to cover, the Republican-backed “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” known as House Bill 1557, seeks to bar public schools from discussing LGBTQ+ issues or identities in the classroom; supporters of the bill argue this applies to early grades in primary school, but that’s not the case. The bill is decidedly broad enough that discussions about queer people, history, or theory could result in a lawsuit against the school district, regardless of grade level or age. And, for that matter, barring identity at any grade level is downright hateful and discriminatory.
So, of course, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled ongoing support of the legislation. At the time of writing, both the Florida House and Senate have passed the legislation, and it heads to DeSantis, where he is more than likely to sign it into law. A shameful day. Additionally shameful? As reported by Deadline, Disney CEO Bob Chapek—whose company routinely profits from LGBTQ+ people and creators—refuses to issue a public statement in opposition to the legislation. And brave employees and allies are speaking out against their employer on Twitter.
In a staff email sent on Monday, Chapek claimed to “stand” with LGBTQ+ employees but insisted that issuing a corporate statement wasn’t worth it, as reported by CNN. He suggested there are “more effective ways” to bring about change.
"Instead,” Chapek argued in the email, corporate statements “are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame.” He went on to describe efforts to make changes through content, which includes recent successes like Encanto, Coco, Reservation Dogs, Pose, and Love, Victory. Which, sure. Diversity! But you don’t get to both create this media—and accept the profits and affirmations from doing so—while also contributing to what is essentially mass extinction of the identities of vulnerable people, including people in the very audience you’re (sometimes) pandering to.
Chapek also said the company has donated to both Democrats and Republicans, and that it will reassess its political giving.
Of course, this is all cowardly. Disney routinely makes a lot of money from the LGBTQ+ community, going so far as to host LGBTQ+ days and events at parks, selling Pride merchandise, and, of course, hiring queer creators to actually make the content that earns the company money. Disney has long been accused (or, at times, celebrated) of its decidedly ambiguous presentation of queer people and relationships in its media.
In short, Disney wants to have its cake and eat it too. And workers aren’t having it. Employees and allies on Twitter are speaking out with both sincerity and humor.
Of course, Disney is (sadly) far from the only corporation that has taken a feeble stance when it comes to human rights. Disney isn’t alone here but that’s not a justification—especially not when vulnerable marginalized youth and their literal lives are hanging in the balance.