Disney CEO Apologizes for HIs Silence on Orlando's Don't Say Gay Bill
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| Walt Disney's CEO has apologized for his "painful silence" on a Florida sex education bill critics warn will isolate LGBT youth. |
"You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry," Bob Chapek told employees.
His comments come amid internal complaints that "gay affection" is routinely cut from some Disney films.
The so-called 'Don't Say Gay bill is due to become law.
It bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to third-grade classes (aged 8-9) or when "not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards".
Formally known as the Parental Rights in Education bill, it also allows private citizens to sue and seek unspecified damages if they believe a school district has violated the law.
The White House has decried its passage as "hateful legislation targeting vulnerable students".
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LGBT leaders at Disney have been clamoring for the company to speak out against the bill.
In a letter to Disney leadership, a copy of which was obtained by the BBC, LGBT employees at Pixar - the company's computer animation division - accused the parent company of stepping back from the public debate around "bigoted legislation" while continuing to profit from the LGBT community.
They also leveled a more serious charge: that Disney has cut "nearly every moment of overtly gay affection" from its content "regardless of when there is a protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar". The company did not reply to BBC's requests for comment.
On Friday, Mr. Chapek told employees in a memo that he was wrong to have been silent on the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.
The admission came after he had claimed earlier in the week that he believed "corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds" and Disney's involvement would make it "a political football" - a statement that was denounced by animators on social media, who called it a "momentous misstep".
Amid the public criticism, Mr. Chapek backtracked, telling shareholders on Wednesday that Disney had been "opposed to the bill from the outset" and he had phoned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - who plans to approve the bill - to express his concerns.
Mr. Chapek also pledged a $5m (£3.8m) donation to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) LGBT advocacy group.
But the volte-face created even more fallout.
HRC turned down Disney's donation and called on the entertainment giant to take "meaningful action" against the bill.
The company is a major tourism driver in the state, drawing some 58 million people per year to its flagship Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. It also employs 77,000 Floridians.
And at a rally, Governor DeSantis told supporters the company has fallen for "phony hysteria" and wants to appease angry liberals.
His office confirmed to the BBC the governor took a call from Mr. Chapek but intends to sign the bill.
Disney Accused of Pulling Gay Content from Pixar Films
Disney has been accused of cutting LGBTQ+ content from the films of Pixar, the animation giant, and Disney subsidiary, during the editing process.
A letter from a group of employees of Pixar – the studio behind Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Inside Out – claimed Disney executives have “barred” moments of gay affection from films before they are released.
Signed by “the LGBTQIA+ employees of Pixar & their allies”, the letter says: “We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.”
It adds: “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest … Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it.”
First reported by Judd Legum of Popular Information, the statement is the latest development in a crisis for Disney prompted by the company’s response to the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill which passed in the Florida state legislature on Tuesday. Officially known as the Parental Rights in Education bill, it seeks to ban teaching of sexual identity and gender orientation in early-grade education as well as in “a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students”. The wording of the latter has been attacked as so vague that it may effectively enable parents to prevent discussion of the topics at any age. The bill is currently awaiting a signature from state governor Ron DeSantis.
The letter came in response to a company memo sent by Disney CEO Bob Chapek on Monday after Disney failed to make a public statement in opposition to the bill, and revelations that every politician who sponsored the bill had received donations from Disney. Chapek defended the lack of opposition to the bill, saying: “Corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds … they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change.” He added: “I believe the best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create, and the diverse community organizations we support.”
Pointing out that Disney has already stopped commercial activities in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine and threatened to boycott the state of Georgia over its planned Religious Liberties bill in 2016, the Pixar employees group says the company’s claims “ring hollow”.
Chapek, who became CEO of Disney in 2020 after Robert Iger stepped down, is thought to want to step back from the kind of advocacy that flourished under Iger, with the Hollywood Reporter suggesting that Chapek is “concerned that Disney might be viewed as too liberal”.
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