On March 22, LGBTQ workers and employee allies at The Walt Disney Company staged a walkout in protest of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, nicknamed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opponents, ABC News reported.
More than 100 employees in different parts of the company joined a full-length walkout and protest.
“The Walt Disney Company’s (TWDC) LGBTQIA+ community and their allies are determined to take a stand against TWDC’s apathy in the face of the bigoted ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill put forth by the FL state legislature,” the protest’s website states.
According to http://out.com, several Disney-owned platforms—including ESPN, ABC, Disney+ and Hulu—released statements in support of the company’s LGBTQ+ employees, and pledged to do better.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been criticized for his response to the bill, first for his silence on the legislation and later for not outright condemning the bill in his public statements. Chapek has since said he would, among other things, pledge $5 million to groups advocating for LGTBQ+ rights and protections, adding that he has contacted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office in opposition of the bill.