Ashman was one of the most talented lyricists of all time. When the LGBTQ Disney fans I spoke to explained why they love Disney, the name Howard Ashman came up over and over. How Disney Gays feel about the company and its “Don’t Say Gay” stance For Disney’s LGBTQ fans and employees, it’s a betrayal that can’t even come as a surprise. And it’s far from the first time the company has fallen short on queer issues. Its inaction in Florida paints a different, perhaps more realistic picture that this company isn’t living up to the promises it’s trading on.
Disney has parlayed the feel-good, empowering message of its movies to position itself as a progressive, diverse, inclusive, and highly profitable company. The current controversy has illuminated the disconnect between one of the world’s biggest companies and its very devoted fanbase, which includes large numbers of devoted LGBTQ fans. And now it almost looks hypocritical - all of a sudden, this company is like, ‘No, we’re not about that life.’ But they make literally so much money off of us!” “I’ve given them so much blood, sweat, tears, and money. “I felt like I was just robbed,” Francis Dominic Garcia, a social media content creator who promotes Disney, told me. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign the bill into law at any moment. After an open letter from LGBTQ Pixar staff and their allies alleged that Disney had actively scrubbed “overtly gay affection” and queer representation from their movies, Chapek emailed employees that the company would halt all political donations in Florida on Friday, and donate to groups fighting similar legislation in other states. In response to the backlash over Disney’s inaction, CEO Bob Chapek said that the company unequivocally stood with its LGBTQ employees, expressing that support through “the inspiring content” that the company produces. The bill, passed in the Senate but yet to be signed into law, seeks to prohibit teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with young students.Īt first, Disney said nothing and was criticized for its lack of action, as well as for previously donating money to Republican politicians who have directly sponsored the bill. Over the past week, the entertainment juggernaut flipped and flopped in an attempt to reassure its employees and its massive fanbase about its position on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Disney’s uncanny ability to minimize controversy (even when it comes to navigating human rights violations in China) and maximize sunny feelings is part of what makes its current controversy so uncharacteristic. Over the last few decades, no company has done a better job at capturing fans across seemingly every kind of demographic - all races, all religions, young and old, straight and gay - all while slyly becoming the most powerful entertainment entity on the planet. It prohibits classroom lessons on sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3, or for older children in ways deemed not age-appropriate.It’s proof of Disney’s success that almost everyone has a favorite Disney movie: The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Frozen, Tangled, WALL-E, the list goes on. Tensions have run high in Florida over House Bill 1557, called the “Parental Rights in Education” bill but branded the “don’t say gay” bill by opponents. He said the party would share information about rescheduled dates and location “once we have explored available options.”
We also acknowledge that in our fight for freedom and fairness, we can always do more.” He did not mention Disney by name in a short statement but said, “Our timing was not ideal. “To put it another way: (Florida Democratic Party) - read the room.”įlorida Democratic Party chairperson Manny Diaz said Tuesday evening that the party had gotten feedback that the event’s dates, originally scheduled for June 17-19, conflicted with Pride Month, Juneteenth and Father’s Day. “Scheduling Leadership Blue at Disney during Pride Month this year is nothing but tone deaf,” Stephen Gaskill, president of the caucus, which has 21 chapters, said in a statement.