Disney's assurance of support for the LGBTQ community is reportedly creating a divide not only among its employees but also in the country.
As per The Christian Post, employees of the Walt Disney Company have released an open letter urging the need for the renowned family-oriented company to take a politically-neutral stand on Florida's Parental Education Act or House Bill 1557. The act was tagged by the Left as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, just for its prohibition against the teaching of anything sexual in school from kinder to grade three.
Disney similarly received backlash from LGBTQ+ employees, as per Variety, and activists for its alleged inadequate stand against the controversial legislation. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has only previously condemned the bill internally through a memo assuring support of LGBTQ+ employees and their families. LGBTQ employees of Disney-Pixar, in particular, urged the company to correct its indirect support of the bill through legislators financially-sponsored by the company.
Accordingly, Disney and its subsidiaries have started publicly condemning the bill when the LGBTQ+ criticized them for their lack of action. Chapek has already met with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis about it. While Disney's ESPN even gave moments of silence during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament coverage as a sign of protest against the bill.
Chapek also came out with a letter that, first off, apologized to the LGBTQ+ Community for their frustration with his silence on the bill. The CEO then reaffirmed their bold stand for the LGBTQ+ community by showing the power and influence of their company to stand up "for the rights of all." Chapek disclosed that he will increase support to combat similar legislation.
However, the anonymous employees of the open letter rebuked what Chapek said in the letter. The said employees stressed the company's oversight of their existence because of its sole focus on the LGBTQ+ community.
"The Walt Disney Company has come to be an increasingly uncomfortable place to work for those of us whose political and religious views are not explicitly progressive. We watch quietly as our beliefs come under attack from our own employer, and we frequently see those who share our opinions condemned as villains by our own leadership," the employees disclosed.
"The company's evolving response to the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' legislation in Florida has left many of us wondering what place we have in a company actively promoting a political agenda so far removed from our own. TWDC leadership frequently communicates its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where cast members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and being their authentic selves at work. That is not our workplace experience," they continued.
The employees revealed that they watched in silence as their leaders condemned laws they support. They silently witnessed LGBTQ+ colleagues convince company leaders that no one at work could disagree with them, such that those who do face punishment.
The employees underscored that the company's thrust to "Reimagine Tomorrow" does not include those whose religious and political views hold contrary to the LGBTQ ideology. They cited being branded as bigots and threatened with corporate influence whenever they spoke against their LGBTQ colleague's Left-leaning stand. Yet the very leadership of Disney encourages such a culture forcing them to speak in whispears for fear of experiencing professional retaliation.
The authors of the open letter also raised that Disney's customers who similarly hold conservative and religious views as they do will feel unwanted by the company, too. They raised that it will not take long for such customers to cease patronizing Disney.
Morever, the anonymous authors reminded Disney of its role of bringing goodness, unity, and inclusivity for almost a century. They emphasized that this is mostly needed by the world these days, which they hope the company will safeguard and not throw away because of the left leaning pressure it faces.
"Disney shouldn't be a vehicle for one demographic's political activism. It's so much bigger and more important than that. More than ever, the world needs things that we can unite around. That's the most valuable role The Walt Disney Company could play in the world at this time," the open letter highlighted.
"Please don't let Disney become just another thing we divide over," it concluded.
