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He also said that the company had paused all political donations in Florida while it considers how to be sure those donations reflect the company’s values. “Yes, we need to use our influence to promote that good by telling inclusive stories, but also by standing up for the rights of all.”Ĭhapek went on to say that Disney would increase its support for advocacy organizations resisting similar legislation around the country. “Our employees see the power of this great company as an opportunity to do good. On March 11, Disney CEO Bob Chapek sent a contrite note to the company’s employees, apologizing for the company’s lack of action. This prompted protests from some of its employees, who complained that the company should have been using that influence to protect its LGBTQ workers and their families.ĭisney CEO Bob Chapek responds during an address at the Boston College Chief Executives Club, Nov. The Walt Disney Company has significant political influence in the state of Florida, but it was not initially engaged in the discussion about the proposed law. Opponents of the bill have characterized it as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, because the vague language in the statute makes it unclear exactly what is considered appropriate. The state law empowers parents to sue schools if they believe their child has been instructed on LGBTQ issues inappropriately. For all older children, any such discussion must be “age appropriate.” In kindergarten through the third grade, all discussion of LGBTQ issues is banned under the law. The aim of the new law was to restrict discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. The dispute in Florida relates to a measure that DeSantis signed into law in late March, called the Parental Rights in Education bill. Ron DeSantis addresses a joint session of a legislative session, Jan. The hurried process gave interested parties little time to assess the effects of the policy change, but the message it sent to Disney and other companies in Florida was clear: crossing DeSantis can lead to swift and severe retribution by the state’s government.įILE - Florida Gov. Less than 48 hours later, both chambers of the legislature had done what DeSantis asked. On April 19, in a news conference, DeSantis called on Florida legislators to revoke a special tax status that, for more than 50 years, has allowed Walt Disney World to operate as the de facto municipal government within the 39-square miles its parks cover in central Florida. The Walt Disney Company, a global entertainment giant, has found itself on the wrong side of a political battle with Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of the state of Florida, where Disney employs nearly 80,000 people in a constellation of theme parks, hotels, and restaurants, constituting the single largest tourist attraction in the world.