Over the past several decades, the Walt Disney Company, the corporate goliath whose holdings extend beyond its eponymous brands to almost every corner of the entertainment industry, has managed to keep a relatively low profile in Florida state politics, quietly lobbying and funneling money toward business-friendly politicians on both sides of the aisle. But now, with Florida on the precipice of enacting one of the most regressive pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in recent history, critics called out Disney for enabling the measure's passage, demanding that the company speak out before Governor Ron DeSantis signs it into law.
The backlash started last week with the Florida Senate's passage of H.B. 1557, colloquially dubbed by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The measure prohibits teachers from "discussion" and "instruction" on "sexual orientation or gender identity," a broad mandate that can suppress even mentions of same-sex parents when discussing the basics of family life. It also establishes a cause of action for parents to sue — and collect compensation from — school districts whose employees break the law, ostensibly offloading the responsibility of enforcement to aggrieved parents.
