Disney Employees Walk Out in Response to Florida Anti-LGBTQ Bill

Earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he should have been a "stronger ally in the fight for equal rights."

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By Amanda Breen

Some Disney employees walked off the job on Tuesday in protest of the company's response to Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education Law, which restricts discussion of gender and sexuality in schools.

Employees have urged Disney to stop making political donations to certain Florida politicians, including governor Ron DeSantis, and to back a plan to shield LGBTQIA+ staff from such legislations, among other demands, NPR reports. Disharmony within the company has continued to mount, and earlier this month, Disney CEO Bob Chapek apologized for not taking a stand against the bill more quickly, admitting he should have been a "stronger ally in the fight for equal rights." He also said he called DeSantis to share his concerns about the bill and that Disney would reevaluate political donations in Florida, where Walt Disney World is located.

At a Monday town hall meeting, company executives informed employees that Chapek would take part in a "listening tour" in an attempt to alleviate concerns about the company's response to the bill, but for many employees, it was too little too late. According to CNBC field producer Steve Desaulniers, hundreds of employees marched out of the company's Burbank, Calif. headquarters Tuesday morning in a show of support that followed several smaller walkouts during their 15-minute breaks as they called for Disney to take a firmer position against what critics have dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Supporters of the protest took to Twitter to express their solidarity.

Employees also turned to the platform to spread the word, with some pointing out the impact that Disney's relocation of thousands of employees to Florida would have on those employees and their families.

As the walkout unfolded, Disney Parks posted a statement of support (echoing Walt Disney's speech on the park's opening day in 1955) on its Instagram page, saying, "To ALL who come to this happy place, welcome. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products is committed to creating experiences that support family values for every family, and will not stand for discrimination in any form."

Disney brand ESPN also displayed its solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Florida's Republican-controlled Senate and House have passed the legislation, and to become law, it needs the signature of DeSantis, who has expressed his support and called Disney a "woke" corporation for its opposition to it.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and recently completed the MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts during the 2020-2021 academic year. 

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