Disney Backpedals After Being Criticized For Silence On Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

After he said that Disney would be staying silent on the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill recently approved by the Florida state senate and supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), CEO Bob Chapek is now walking back that statement after heavy backlash from LGBTQ fans and Disney employees.

During a meeting with shareholders on Wednesday, Chapek claimed the company was “opposed to the bill from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind the scenes, engaging directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.”

Chapek also told shareholders he spoke with DeSantis on the phone Wednesday morning after the bill passed and claimed that, “he wanted to make sure that this law could not be weaponized … to in any way harm or target gay, lesbian, nonbinary, and transgender kids and families.” He also said DeSantis requested Disney to “come up with ideas and concerns of specific aspects of that legislation which would lead to the weaponization of it.”

The bill, which has been dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay bill,” by its critics, would ban any conversations around sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. It would also ban conversations in all age groups that are deemed “not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” According to the bill, parents will have the right to sue teachers suspected of having these conversations, and the open-ended language of the bill means it’s not just teachers and students of younger grades that have to worry.

Chapek also announced that Disney would be donating $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign, but the HRC said hours later they would be refusing the donation, “until we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates to ensure that dangerous proposals like Florida’s Don’t Say Gay or Trans bill, don’t become dangerous laws.”

DeSantis has yet to sign the bill into law but has signaled his support. 2022 has seen an increase in concerning legal moves targeting LGBTQ children, especially in southern states. Texas is currently investigating the parents of trans children for child abuse after a directive issued by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and an imitation bill to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was introduced in the Georgia state Senate on Tuesday.