There is not a very good solution for the predicament The Walt Disney Company has with the controversial law in Florida. I only say it is controversial because there’s a controversy that we’re discussing… I’m not here to take a side.
The bill has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. That is some ingenious labeling by the critics who want to see it fail. In reality, the proposed legislation heading to Governor Ron DeSantis for potential approval is a far more complicated piece of lawmaking. Without going too far into the weeds, the new Floridan law would make it illegal for teachers, teaching assistants, or other school personnel to educate kindergarten through third grade students about gender identity. You may think that’s wise or you may think that it is unwise. Clearly, there is a long-running culture war in the United States, and sexual orientation issues are huge part of that. Disney finds itself stuck in the middle of the whole thing.
Take for example this tweet from a Disney Channel contributor:
It is so frustrating that us LGBT Disney employees have to speak up about existing and wanting other people in our community to be safe, in fear for our livelihoods. If the company is so dedicated to inclusion, why is standing up for the safety of LGBT youth, at odds with it.
— Sam King 🧡🤍💗 🐝 (@SamanthaCKing) March 7, 2022
It would seem that The Walt Disney Company at least implicitly has conditioned employees to not voice a strong opinion about this law. Clearly I don’t think they’ve made a public statement or internal statement in that regard, but Sam King must feel that’s a risky move to take. So why is Disney, a company that often prides itself on issues of LGBTQ+ matters, so reluctant to take a hard stance?
Well… I suppose it’s not easy to come out as a company and say “it should be okay to teach kindergartners about sexual identities.”
Maybe you think that’s okay, but Disney might be reading the tea leaves and wondering if that’s a popular position to take. They’re also likely looking at how that position plays out on the world stage where things are changing and changing fast. They’re about one Taiwan invasion away from a really bad day. They don’t need Florida conservatives (who run the state) turning against them too. They’re weighing the costs.
That doesn’t mean there is no cost whatsoever:
I'm with the President on this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable, young LGBTQ people in jeopardy. https://t.co/fJZBzre4yM
— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) February 25, 2022
Bob Chapek has to keep an eye out for snipers like Robert Iger. The former CEO knows the current CEO is in a heck of a bind… one that Iger created himself (we remember Shanghai). The minute that Disney takes a hard stand on little children being educated about sex and sexual orientation, people are going to notice they’re not taking a hard stand on forced labor, slavery, genocide, organ harvesting, and much more that is taking place in China. That’s not a backlash they want to deal with at the moment. The world is already scary enough for Disney executives. Normal people are not yet considering just how much Ukrainian war-related new inflation and fuel cost increases are making things difficult for the parks financially. If gas goes up to six dollars in Florida, you could be looking at serious economic issues for Walt Disney World. They’re going to need all the politicians they can find to help them out in that sort of an environment — and they’re not looking to make any enemies.
We understand how important this issue is to our LGBTQ+ employees and many others. For nearly a century, Disney has been a unifying force that brings people together. We are determined that it remains a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create here, and the diverse community organizations we support, including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.
Given that the head of the Board, Susan Arnold, is herself a lesbian, it may be clear that Disney is not at all interested in going into this fight.
For all things that should be fun, but sometimes are very messy, keep checking out That Park Place for all the latest news.
