Disney Gave at Least $250K to Senators That Voted for 'Don't Say Gay' Bill

Lightyear, a release from Disney’s Pixar subsidiary.The animated film, billed as an origin story for the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear, features a female colleague of Lightyear’s, Hawthorne (pictured), who is in a romantic relationship with a woman. A source told Variety that a kiss between the couple had been cut from the film but was put back in last week following the uproar over the company’s record.“According to multiple former Pixar employees who spoke with Variety on the condition of anonymity, creatives within the studio have tried for years to incorporate LGBTQ identity into its storytelling in ways big and small, only to have those efforts consistently thwarted,” the publication reports.After the initial criticism of Disney leaders for not speaking out against the “don’t say gay” bill in Florida, where the company is a major employer, CEO Bob Chapek sent a memo to staff saying, “The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create here, and the diverse community organizations we support, including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.”Pixar workers then said the content isn’t so inclusive.

Disney over its reaction to Florida's controversial new bill that will prevent teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ issues with students up to third grade.Called the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics, the Parental Rights in Education bill was passed by Florida's House of Representatives on February 24, before being passed by the Republican-controlled state Senate this month.Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who has faced criticism from employees for not publicly condemning the legislation, last week stated that he would be meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and LGBTQ+ leaders at Disney to discuss the bill.Union revealed her continued dissatisfaction with Disney's reaction while attending Wednesday's premiere of Disney+' Cheaper by the Dozen, in which she co-stars with Zach Braff.The actress told Variety: "Somebody asked me, 'Are you disappointed?' I'm disappointed when my order isn't right at [burger restaurant] In-N-Out. I don't even think that's a word that you could use for something like this, where children's lives are literally hanging in the balance."We need to own that if you truly are taking stands against hate and oppression, you should not fund hate and oppression.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is expected to sign House Bill 1557, which supporters call the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, but that opponents refer to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. It has become a national lightning rod in recent weeks, with President Biden calling the legislation “hateful.” Meanwhile, many conservatives have argued that the bill is limited in scope and has been misinterpreted by its critics.

statement on an employee website. The site is titled Where Is Chapek, a reference to Disney CEO Bob Chapek.Chapek apologized Friday for the company’s slow response to the bill and promised to pause political contributions, which have gone to many of the measure’s supporters.

Gabrielle Union has criticised the Walt Disney Company for how it responded to Florida’s highly controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

Disney over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.The controversial bill would limit classroom discussions about gender or sexual orientation for certain age groups. While proponents of the bill, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, argue that these types of lessons don't belong in schools, critics say that the law would marginalize the LGBTQ community.A number of companies within Florida have decried the bill and DeSantis' backing of the legislation.

The bar for “gay icon” status has dropped alarming low, at least according to the Log Cabin Republicans.In a piece appearing on the group’s blog Outspoken, writer David Leatherwood extols Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary, calling her a gay icon for equating opponents of the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill to pedophiles.“Serving as Press Secretary for America’s favorite Governor, Daddy DeSantis, Pushaw has cemented herself as a gay icon overnight and we are here for all of it,” Leatherwood wrote.“Earlier this week, leftist gays stormed the Florida Capitol building in the Gay Insurrection of 2022.

Marvel Studios have released a statement promising to pledge a “strong commitment” to the LGBTQ+ community, following backlash of Disney’s response to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

Angelique Jackson A group of Disney employees have planned a week of in-person and virtual walkouts in response to the company and CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill.On Monday afternoon, the Twitter account called Disney Walkout posted a message explaining that, “The LGBTQIA+ workers and allies at The Walt Disney Company are standing in solidarity together over the coming weeks.”The post then linked to an open letter written in partnership with members of the LGBTQ community across the Walt Disney Company (including Disney Corporate, Disney Television Animation, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Streaming, Enterprise Finance, Enterprise Technology/Global Information Security and Bento Box). “The recent statements by The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) leadership regarding the Florida legislature’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” organizers wrote.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has denounced Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in a new social media statement.

Star Wars star Mark Hamill offered a stellar response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.The proposed legislation—officially called the Parental Rights in Education bill and passed by Florida’s Senate on March 8—bans educators and others from discussing gender and sexual identities with younger students.“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” the bill reads.And the measure, which Florida Gov.

Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek announced Disney will be pausing all political donations in the state of Florida following a week of significant criticism of the company's initial silence on the Florida Legislature's "Don't Say Gay" bill.The company's lack of response to the bill, which would ban discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in some public school classrooms, sparked an intense backlash against Disney, internally and externally, prompting Chapek to shift to a public stance, calling for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to oppose the bill.DeSantis then called out the entertainment titan for its ties to China, accusing the company for criticizing "parents' rights" but continuing to work in China despite knowledge of the human rights issues in Xinjiang regarding Uyghur Muslims.After statements of apology to Disney's LGBTQ employees, Chapek released an internal memo on Friday further stating that the company would be pausing all political donations in Florida, affecting many of the politicians who had previously received money from the company.Several Disney donations were made to key co-sponsors of the bill, and in total, the company gave $253,850 to senators who voted to pass the "Don't Say Gay" bill.Donations made only for the 2022 general election go back to January 1, 2021, and records reviewed by Newsweek showed that Disney donated at least $33,000 for state Senate races and more than $98,000 in state House contests.Other primary GOP figures who have received donations from Disney included DeSantis, who received $50,000 from Disney Worldwide Services Inc., according to the Florida Division of Elections.Ashley Moody, Florida's attorney general, was given $25,000 from Disney during the 2022 general

The Hollywood Reporter. “Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was. It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights.

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criticized for not immediately and publicly condemning the legislation. The company has also donated at least $250,000 to Florida Republican senators who voted to pass the bill."I truly believe we are an infinitely better and stronger company because of our LGBTQ+ community.

Disney executives have censored gay affection in its films.In an open letter attributed to LGBTQIA+ animators and allies at the studio (obtained by Variety), it reads: “We have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.“Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.”The letter is in response to Disney’s messaging around the recently passed legislation in Florida known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which blocks the discussion of LGBT+ identities in schools.Disney’s soft reaction to the legislation attracted widespread criticism.

The Human Rights Campaign is not taking money from Disney anymore.

Anti-gay and anti-trans bills have been sweeping the country lately, and Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill — which would prohibit teachers from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity under various circumstances, regardless of their own families or identities — has been causing a particular uproar.

Disney has been accused of censoring same-sex love in Pixar movies in a leaked letter from employees of the animation studio.

“don’t say gay” bill, similar legislation was filed in the Georgia State Assembly.A bill (SB 613) filed by Georgia state Sen. Carden Summers tackles both the teaching of "critical race theory" and the treatment of LGBTQ+ issues in the classroom.  In a single bill, the legislation places restrictions on a wide variety of topics that Republican lawmakers have targeted in legislatures across the country.Regarding LGBTQ+ issues, the bill suggests educators have “inappropriately discussed gender identity with children who have not yet reached the age of discretion."“Such a focus on racial and gender identity and its resulting discrimination on the basis of color, race, ethnicity, and national origin is destructive to the fabric of American society,” the bill reads.Should the bill pass, it would restrict how such topics can be addressed by teachers.“No private or nonpublic school or program to which this chapter applies shall promote, compel, or encourage classroom discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the student,” the bill states.That’s the language that appeared in early drafts of Florida’s “don’t say gay” bill.

Former Trump spokesperson Stephanie Grisham continued her book/rehabilitation tour this week by appearing as a co-host on The View.During a conversation yesterday about Florida’s homophobic “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which is currently on its way to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk, Grisham mentioned that her teenage son recently came out as gay and that he once told her he was “ashamed” that she worked for Donald Trump.Related: Melania didn’t give AF when staffer was fired and escorted out of White House for being on Grindr“This one is personal to me,” she said during the roundtable discussion.

Disney's silence on Florida Legislature's "Don't Say Gay" bill, CEO Bob Chapek announced that the company is taking a public stance on the matter and that he has personally called Governor Ron DeSantis to oppose the measure.During Disney's annual shareholder meeting on Friday, Chapek took time to address the controversy before the question-and-answer period, saying, "While [the company has] been strong supporters of the community for decades, I know that many are upset that we did not speak out against the bill.""I called Governor DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids and families," the CEO said. "The governor heard our concerns and agreed to meet with me and LGBTQ+ members of our senior team in Florida to discuss ways to address them."Disney has faced widespread criticisms since Chapek declined to condemn the bill, which would ban discussion of "sexual orientation or gender identity" in Florida public schools, earlier this week.On Wednesday, Chapek said that the company had chose not to publicly address the bill in favor of working "behind the scenes" with lawmakers with whom the company has long-standing ties."We were opposed to the bill from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind the scenes engaging directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle," the CEO said during the meeting.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterDisney CEO Bob Chapek said Wednesday the company is pledging $5 million to the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations protecting LGBTQ rights following backlash to the company’s initial quiet response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, as well as a report that the company has given money to all of the bill’s sponsors. Chapek, who is taking his first public stance against the bill, says he will also be meeting with Republican Gov.

through Chasten Buttigieg's criticisms, it's led to a staunch debate and a series of protests and walkouts by Florida students, civil rights groups, and faith-based organizations.Proponents of HB 1557 and SB 1834 — the House and Senate versions of the bill — argue that if passed, they would restrict inappropriate conversations about sex in classes. As it heads to the desk of Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has signaled he will sign the legislation into law, we break down the facts. What does the bill actually say?Since first being submitted, the "don't say gay" bills have had 37 amendments with only two passing.

As the Florida Senate debated the “don’t say gay” bill this week, the discussion took a bizarre turn Tuesday ahead of the bill's vote as Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia, a Republican, shared several accounts about LGBTQ+ people in her life.

the Parental Rights in Education bill was passed by the Republican-controlled state Senate on Tuesday, having previously been passed by Florida's House of Representatives on February 24.Addressing the bill hours later during Tuesday's episode of Watch What Happens Live, Cohen, 53, branded the move "one big dog whistle" that is "scaring people into spewing hate and discrimination at the LGBTQ community.""Before we wrap up tonight, I want to address some personally disturbing news coming out of Florida," he said, before explaining the controversial bill, which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to sign it into law."I have a few things I want to say about this," Cohen told the audience. "First to Florida Republicans, you're pretending to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

The Florida Senate has passed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” on Tuesday, March 8.In a 22-17 vote, the Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill. It will now go on to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to sign it. If a school district is suspected of violating this law, parents would be able to sue.During the debate, Democrat Shevrin Jones, Florida’s first openly gay senator, tearfully said to his colleagues, “To those who think you can legislate gay people away, I’m sorry.

is partly enforced by allowing parents to sue any school they believe violated it.“The Animation Guild and the QueerTAG Committee want to express our immense disappointment with how The Walt Disney Company has responded to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. It is disheartening that Disney, one of the world’s most successful brands with massive resources and a global platform, failed to take any action to help prevent the passage of this bill,” the guild said in a statement posted to its various social media accounts.“It is one thing to say that you ‘unequivocally stand in support of our LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and their communities.’ It’s quite another for you to stand silent while this scurrilous piece of homophobic legislation passes,” the group continued.

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state Senate on Thursday passed a “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would ban “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity” in primary schools, LGBTQ groups expressed outrage that Disney, one of the state’s biggest employers, has not voiced its opposition to the legislation. In fact, Disney CEO Bob Chapek defended the company’s silence in an internal memo to staff on Monday and argued that corporate statements on political issues like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill can be “weaponized” and are often “counterproductive.”Jean-Marie Navetta, director of Learning and Inclusion for PFLAG National, told TheWrap that Chapek’s memo represented a “complete turnaround from the way Disney has behaved in the past” on such issues.

The creator of Disney’s The Owl House is speaking out about the company's failure to take a stance against Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Ron DeSantis after it was passed by the state's Legislature on Tuesday.Supporters and sponsors said the bill is written to stop teachers from teaching kindergarteners through third graders about sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Florida Legislature has passed the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill and sent it to Gov. Ron DeSantis to sign.The Florida Senate on Tuesday morning voted 22-17 in favor of the bill. Republicans Jeffrey Brandes and Jennifer Bradley joined Democratic senators in voting against it.Tuesdays' vote came after the Senate rejected a series of amendments offered Monday.

Florida’s Republican-controlled Senate has passed the widely controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill by a vote of 22-17, bringing it one step away from becoming law.

The “Don’t Say Gay” bill faces mounting criticism as it continues to advance in the Florida Legislature and appears headed to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, but one company with strong business ties to the state — despite professing to support the LGBTQ community — has declined to denounce the legislation to the growing disappointment of its many fans.

Disney boycott after the company's CEO Bob Chapek refused to publicly condemn Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.Chapek is facing harsh scrutiny on social media after declaring in a memo that The Walt Disney Company "unequivocally" stands with its LGBTQ+ employees, but wouldn't directly condemn the controversial bill making its way through the Florida legislature."We are committed to creating a more inclusive company—and world. I understand that the very need to reiterate that commitment means we still have more work to do," Chapek said in an internal memo to staff on Monday.Florida's new legislation, which is seen by many as discriminatory, was passed by the state's House last month.The Republican-controlled Florida Senate is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday on the bill, which prohibits "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity" in certain grade levels in schools.Directly addressing Disney's silence on the bill, Chapek added in the staff memo: "I do not want anyone to mistake a lack of statement for a lack of support.

Disney’s CEO said the company has an “unwavering commitment” to LGBTQ+ people after its controversial response to the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones broke down in tears as the controversial “don’t say gay” bill was debated on the Senate floor.Florida’s first out senator, he shared his personal struggles in coming out in 2018 at age 34.

Ron DeSantis's press secretary caused a stir on Friday with controversial tweets taking aim at critics of the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill.Introduced in the Florida state legislature last month, the "Don't Say Gay" bill would require schools to inform parents if their child identifies with an LGBT orientation, even in cases where the information would lead to "abuse, abandonment, or neglect" of the child. It would also prohibit the teaching of certain gender identity and sexual orientation topics.Since its introduction, the bill has faced severe backlash, particularly from left-wing and progressive voices.

Ron DeSantis, who supported the legislation. DeSantis previously said that the bill was actually about preventing sex-ed in classrooms with young children, saying: "Do you really want them being taught about sex?"A number of protesters urged Disney, which has numerous properties in the state, to speak out against the legislation.Disney heiress Abigail Disney, who is the grandniece of company founder Walt Disney tweeted on March 3: "When laws are being passed that are this hateful and dripping with prejudice, there is no neutrality. Not saying anything is saying a lot.

Tweet out your support with #LetFreeFloridaSayGay pic.twitter.com/C2a55Zmxal— David Hogg ? (@davidhogg111) March 7, 2022In it, the students chant “We say gay” in protest of the bill, which would prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, or in any grade if it is “in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”Here’s another video, shot by student and protest organizer Will Larkins:WE SAY GAY pic.twitter.com/XJkQJzAer5— Will Larkins (@ProudTwinkie) March 7, 2022Opponents of the bill argue it will make life harder for LGBTQ youth, who already face higher rates of bullying and increased suicide risk compared to their straight, cisgender peers.Related: DeSantis press secretary tweets vile take on ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and the Internet just can’t with herThe walkouts come as the state Senate prepares to discuss the legislation. It already passed in the state House, and Gov.

Related: ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill is passed by Florida’s HouseThe bill prohibits any discussion about sexuality or gender between kindergarten and third grade “or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.” Opponents argue it will make life harder for LGBTQ youth, who already face higher rates of bullying and suicide risk compared to their straight, cisgender peers.Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who is gay, called for Pushaw’s resignation.“DeSantis’ spokesperson openly accused opponents of #DontSayGay of being ‘groomers’— aka PEDOPHILES,” Smith tweeted. “Bigoted attacks like this against LGBTQ people are the worst of the worst.

The Walt Disney Company failed to condemn Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill in a recent statement.

Protests and calls for a boycott continue to grow following the revelation that Disney donated to every single sponsor and co-sponsor of Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which seeks to curb discussions of LGBTQ topics in schools, and which was recently passed in the House and is expected to pass in the Senate and be signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Orlando Sentinel reports. And it appears it will continue to fund them.The bill would ban classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades where it is not “age-appropriate,” a rather vague definition, and opponents say it would harm LGBTQ+ students and teachers. It has been passed by the Florida House and is pending in the Senate.

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Parental Rights in Education Bill, which would prevent school staff from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in primary schools. This bill, authored by State Senator Dennis Baxley, would further enable parents to take legal action against schools where such discussions take place.