Gay grooming corporation Disney finds itself in the political and cultural crosshairs over "Don't Say Gay" bill

[buh buh biden]

With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, The Walt
Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a
diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized
marketplace.

On one side are LGBTQ advocates and Disney employees calling for a walkout
in protest of CEO Bob Chapek's slow response in publicly criticizing
Florida legislation dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The legislation,
officially called the "Parental Rights in Education," bars instruction on
sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
It would also let parents sue school districts that violate those
restrictions.

The measure passed the Florida senate earlier this week and is expected to
be signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who supports the bill. DeSantis
is viewed as a likely Republican presidential candidate in 2024.

On the other side of the dispute are politicians like DeSantis, who accuse
Disney of bending to cancel culture after a Disney decision to temporarily
suspend political contributions in the state.

Chapek, who became Disney's CEO in 2020, has drawn fire for speaking out
about the gender identity bill only after it passed the Florida
Legislature. Disney opposed the bill from the start, but thought it best
to oppose it behind the scenes, according to Chapek, who said he called
DeSantis to express "concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could
be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids
and families."

After Chapek came out publicly against the measure at Disney's annual
shareholder meeting earlier this month, DeSantis lashed out at the
entertainment giant, one of Florida's largest employers. According to
Disney's conservative critics, the company should focus on making profits
rather than involve itself in the fight over the bill.

Evan Power, the Republican Party chairman in Leon County, said he believes
a strident minority of Disney employees are pushing the issue and that
DeSantis has more to gain by taking the side of parents who want more
control over education and "sexual conversations" in early grades at
school.

"I think it pays dividends with parents across the state of Florida
regardless of political divisions," Power said.

Officials for the unions that represent tens of thousands of workers at
Disney theme parks in Florida and Anaheim, California — including the
hundreds of costumed performers who portray Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and
Stitch at Walt Disney World — said there didn't appear to be any momentum
for a walkout.

"We are not in support of that," Romualdas Dulskis, a Teamsters official
in Orlando whose local represents costumed characters, bus drivers and
other Disney workers, said Monday. "That's just not the way we are going
to go about this."

Union leaders said they had advised their members not to participate
because their contract prohibits work stoppages or disruptions.

"I don't want to downplay anyone's efforts, if someone feels what they are
doing is the right way to make an impact," said Eric Clinton, president of
Unite Here! Local 362, which represents custodians, housekeepers and other
Disney World theme park workers. "We aren't part of that. It would violate
our contract if members of our union participated, though we are concerned
about the issue, of course."

One of the organizers of the walkout, a New York-based employee, said they
were expecting more participation from Disney workers in production,
marketing, IT and other desk jobs than those in hourly, union jobs. The
worker spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted
online and because organizers didn't want a single organizer taking the
spotlight.

Part of the goal of the walkout is for those workers with the "privilege"
to be able to protest to stand up for those who can't, the New York
employee said.

ESPN employees protest bill
The legislation, described as "hateful" by President Biden and U.S.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, has triggered protests from LGBTQ
advocates across the country and students at middle and high schools in
Florida where walkouts over the bill have also taken place.

Employees at Disney-owned ESPN continue to stand with their Disney
coworkers in protesting the Florida legislation, having staged numerous
walkouts over the past week. Several ESPN announcers also have observed
moments of silence on-air during game coverage, in protest of the bill.
The first to do so were ESPN commentators Carolyn Peck and Courtney Lyle
during the Women's NCAA Tournament. After voicing their solidarity with
their colleagues in Florida in opposition of the bill, the two stayed
silent for twoo minutes, the Washington Post reported.

Disney workers participating in the March 22 walkout plan to meet up with
each other at locations in Orlando, New York City, Anaheim and Burbank,
California, where the company is headquartered. A Disney spokesman didn't
respond to an email seeking comment. Instead, the company released a
statement on the Disney Parks official Instagram condemning the "Parental
Rights in Education" legislation indirectly.

"Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products is committed to creating
experiences that support family values for every family, and will not
stand for discrimination in any form. We oppose any legislation that
infringes on basic human rights, and stand in solidarity and support our
LGBTQIA+ Cast, Crew, and Imagineers and fans who make their voices heard
today and every day," the statement read.

Disney employed 190,000 workers as of last October, with roughly three-
quarters working in its theme parks division.

Disney, whose movies and properties shaped generations of children around
the world, has spoken out several times in recent years about contentious
social and political situations.

It was one of a slew of U.S. companies that in January 2021 said it would
suspend political donations to lawmakers who voted against certifying
President Joe Biden's electoral victory. It also spoke out early against a
2016 anti-gay bill in Georgia, threatening to pull its business from the
state, which has become a favorite of movie and TV studios. The bill was
vetoed by Georgia's then-governor.

History of involvement in social issues
And the company has not been immune to changing societal expectations. It
has said it would revamp the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean and
Splash Mountain rides at its theme parks to remove racist and sexist
elements and put short warnings in front of some of its classic movies on
its streaming service, Disney+, alerting viewers to "outdated cultural
depictions.

Republican lawmakers pushing the Florida legislation had argued that
parents, not teachers, should be the ones talking to their children about
gender issues during their early formative years.

Chapek apologized earlier this month for not coming out more forcefully
and publicly against the bill, saying Disney officials had been working
behind the scenes to stop it. Chapek also announced a pause to all
political donations in Florida and more support for advocacy groups
fighting similar legislation in other states. Chapek reiterated those
points during a company-wide discussion with employees on Monday.

Disney has long been influential in Florida politics, tending to be
conservative and supporting Republicans who have been in control of
Tallahassee, the state capital, for two decades, but also being more open
on social issues, said Patricia Campos-Medina, co-director of the Worker
Institute at Cornell University. "That's why people felt surprised that
they wanted to say quiet on this issue," she said.

Organizers of the walkout maintain that withholding political
contributions isn't enough.

On a website calling for the walkout, the group says that until the
legislation is repealed, Disney leaders need to stop investments in
Florida, including the relocation of 2,000 mostly professional jobs from
its California headquarters to Orlando. They also say Disney needs to
develop an LGBTQ brand similar to the Onyx Collective, an initiative aimed
at developing content by and for people of color.

Power, the GOP official in Tallahassee, said he's confident that Disney
and Florida Republicans will get past this flashpoint and restore their
relationship, eventually.

"It's good that we're pushing back, because the purpose of a publicly
traded company is not to push an agenda," Power said. "The people at
Disney know they need to work with the Legislature and the governor, and
they'll come back around."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dont-say-gay-bill-florida-disney-
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