After weeks of criticism over the Walt Disney Company’s lack of condemnation of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, CEO Bob Chapek announced in an email from the company Friday that Disney would suspend all political donations in the state during a restructuring of its political donation framework. Chapek also apologized to employees — “especially” those in the LGBTQ+ community — for the company’s handling of the fallout since the bill was considered and eventually passed.
In response to colleagues who expressed their “pain, frustration and sadness” over Disney’s response, Chapek said in an internal memo (via The Hollywood Reporter), “Talking to you, reading your messages and meeting you has helped me better understand how painful our silence was. Clearly, this is not just a bill in Florida, but rather another challenge to basic human rights. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I failed you. I am sorry.
Elsewhere in the memo, Chapek said Disney would suspend all donations in Florida — and the company would also begin “increasing our support for advocacy groups to fight similar legislation in other states.” Chapek also claimed that “there is still a lot of work to do”.
The bill, which bans the teaching of sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools for students in kindergarten through third grade — and possibly beyond that age according to the interpretation – was passed in the Florida House and Senate. Although not yet in effect, it is expected to be signed by Governor DeSantis.
Throughout the week, Chapek quickly changed his message regarding Disney’s position on the bill. On March 8, Chapek acknowledged the company’s silence so far and promised that the issue would be discussed further at the company meeting. Reinvent tomorrow Summit in April. On March 9, Chapek admitted his original stance “didn’t do the job.”