ORLANDO, Fla. — Some employees of The Walt Disney Company plan to take part in a full walkout Tuesday to protest the company’s initial response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill.
Dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by critics, the legislation would restrict discussions centered on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. The bill passed Florida’s House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The walkout — set for Florida and California — is expected to be composed of members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, who say the company has not done enough to push back against the Florida bill.
In recent weeks, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has faced backlash for how the company first handled its response to the bill.
After initially not commenting on the legislation, Chapek publicly denounced the bill during an annual shareholders meeting on March 9. In a company-wide letter a few days later, he apologized to employees for not being “a stronger ally.”
Disney Parks has posted statements in support of the LGBTQIA+ community on its social media accounts. The message shared on the Disney World Facebook page: pic.twitter.com/hX9EkidSAy
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) March 22, 2022
Chapek also announced the company would pause all political donations in Florida while it reviewed its approach to advocacy.
Amid the backlash, several business units within Disney released statements in support of the LGBTQ+ community, including Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilm.
On Tuesday, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products released statements on its social media accounts, offering support to the LGBTQ+ community.
“We oppose any legislation that infringes in 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.
No information was immediately available about the potential impact Tuesday’s planned walkout was expected to have on Disney theme parks operations.
