By Sabina Graves
Florida’s controversial anti-LGBTQ “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice has handed the state senate, heading to the desk of governor Ron DeSantis, all however guaranteeing its entry into state legislation—and one of many state’s greatest companies, the Walt Disney Firm, has largely chosen to remain silent.
As an alternative of turning its consideration towards supporting LGBTQ youth and their households, Disney centered its efforts on a special state of affairs making headlines in Florida: its newest luxurious trip enterprise aboard the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. Yesterday, nevertheless, Disney CEO Bob Chapek lastly addressed the difficulty. Kind of.
In Chapek’s refusal to outright denounce the Florida invoice as a part of an e mail despatched to Disney workers, a selected a part of his assertion (you may learn the total memo at the Hollywood Reporter) has made waves: his perception that Disney is doing what it will possibly to advertise tolerance and equality by means of its content material. “Encanto, Black Panther, Pose, Reservation Canines, Coco, Soul, Trendy Household, Shang-Chi, Summer time of Soul, [and] Love, Victor,” the assertion listed as influential, various works from the corporate. “These and all of our various tales are our company statements—and they’re extra highly effective than any tweet or lobbying effort.” However for all its dancing across the energy of content material somewhat than Disney’s precise huge capital energy, energy that it has used to financially help backers of the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice, in all probability probably the most insulting factor about Chapek’s stance is his failure to think about the impression one legendary homosexual determine specifically has had on Disney: Howard Ashman, who, just like the legions of queer staff at Disney since his time, is left ignored by Chapek’s cowardice.
