Disney+ And ESPN Back LGBTQ+ Rights And Disney Employees Walkout In Response
On Tuesday, the Disney employees have staged a walkout to protest against the company’s recent action. Disney’s response to Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education law is greatly criticized and the critics have dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
The employees at the Disney headquarters in Burbank, California came out to protest; however, the protest did not take a bigger shape across the whole company.
Disney spokesperson said in an interview, “We know how important this issue is for our LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and allies, we respect our colleagues’ right to express their views, and we pledge our ongoing support of the LGBTQ+ community in the fight for equal rights.”
Many bigger brands of Disney also supported the protest stayed in solidarity with the LGBTQAI+ community while the huge walk-out took place.
On Tuesday morning, Disney Parks posted on Instagram and offered a warm welcome saying, “To ALL who come to this happy place, welcome.” The post has echoed the words of the great Walt Disney and what he said in the dedication speech at Disneyland’s opening day in 1955.
It was written, “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.” The post also included an image of a multicolored Mickey Mouse logo.
The post made it even clearer and hard-hitting by stating, “We oppose any legislation that infringes on 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.”
Earlier this month, the CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek expressed his thoughts about the bill however, he refused to directly protest against it publicly. He said that the LGBTQAI+ community consists of “diverse stories” and it requires an appropriate response to the legislation to forbid the teachers from discussing the community with some child in third grade or below it.
This response by the CEO created great controversy and forced him to apologize for his absurd response. As a result, many employees walked out to protest. Disney has employed more than 75,000 people in Florida and their decision of walking out has created turmoil in the company.
Disney’s one of the most renowned brands, ESPN has also stayed in solidarity with Disney Park post and the LGBTAI+ community. The company tweeted, “ESPN believes in inclusivity and denounces legislation and actions across the United States that infringe on any human rights. We stand with our LGBTQIA+ colleagues, friends, families, and fans,”
It further added, “We’ll continue to partner with organizations that support the LGBTQIA+ community, be accountable where we fall short of expectations, and never stop telling stories about LGBTQIA+ athletes.”
Disney+ also posted, “Our hope is to be a source for inclusive, empowering, and authentic stories that unite us in our shared humanity.”
Stay tuned to know more!
I am Darryl Broadhurst and i give investors an insight into the most recent news hitting the “Technology” sector in Wall Street. I have been an independent financial adviser for over 11 years in the city and in recent years turned my experience in finance and passion for journalism into a full time role. I perform analysis of Companies and publicizes valuable information for shareholder community.
