New Florida Laws Spark Concern Among Organizers Of Gay Days Events At Walt Disney World And Other Sites
This year’s Gay Days, the annual LGBTQ+ pride event that draws tens of thousands to Walt Disney World and other attractions around Orlando, is taking place amid concerns over the ultimate impact of a series of new laws championed by Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis.
Although Disney is not a sponsor of the event, the attendees’ annual visit to the company’s theme parks, in which they wear red to stand out among the guests, takes on special resonance given the company’s own battle with DeSantis, who has made the culture wars a signature part of his presidential campaign.
Organizers expect both safety and an inclusive atmosphere in visiting the Magic Kingdom, but they are taking other precautions given the series of bills that DeSantis signed earlier this month that target the LGBTQ+ community.
The new laws compelled Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign to issue a travel advisory to the state. “We continue to be that blue speck in a sea of red, but ultimately laws are laws, and that is the interesting situation we are in,” said Joseph Clark, the CEO of Gay Days.
