Disney World Defies Ron DeSantis by Hosting Gay Rights Summit in Florida
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
U.S.Ron DeSantisDisney WorldLGBTQ rightsFlorida
The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is scheduled to host what has been billed as the "largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world" later this year, in a move that could trigger conflict with Governor Ron DeSantis who has already clashed with the entertainment behemoth over LGBTQ rights.
Out & Equal, a group that campaigns for gay, lesbian and transgender rights in the workplace, is due to hold its 2023 workplace summit at the resort, from September 11-14.
In February, DeSantis signed into law a bill appointing a five-person board to oversee Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney has managed as a largely self-governing authority over the past 50 years.
The move followed a statement from Disney criticizing DeSantis's Parental Rights in Education legislation, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay Bill" by critics. Under this legislation, any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity is banned in Florida's schools, up until the fourth grade.
L: Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California in 2008. R: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis delivers the "State of the State" address at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida on March 7, 2023. The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is due to host the "largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world" later this year, having already clashed with DeSantis over LGBTQ rights. Kevin Winter/CHENEY ORR/AFP via Getty Images
According to Out & Equal's website, around 5,000 people are expected to attend its workplace summit in September, which it describes as "the preferred place to network and share strategies that create inclusive workplaces, where everyone belongs and where LGBTQ+ employees can be out and thrive."
Out & Equal lists the Walt Disney Company as a top-tier "titanium" supporter, along with other major brands including Apple, Uber and Bank of America.
Other companies listed as supporters at lower tiers include Mcdonald's, IBM, Walmart, Google and Visa. Government bodies, including the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Department of State, are also included in the list with the Miami Herald reporting they will have booths at the conference.
Newsweek reached out to the Walt Disney Company and Governor DeSantis via email for comment.
The conflict between Disney and DeSantis began in March 2022, when the corporation issued a statement saying Florida bill HB 1557, dubbed "Don't Say Gay," "should never have passed and should never have been signed into law."
"Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that," Disney said.
In response, DeSantis moved to restrict Disney's control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. Initially, he wanted to strip the company of its special tax status, but this was dropped and DeSantis instead took full control over appointments to an oversight board last month.
Announcing the change the Florida governor said: "The corporate kingdom finally comes to an end. There's a new sheriff in town, and accountability will be the order of the day."
DeSantis is widely regarded as Donald Trump's most dangerous opponent in his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, though he has yet to formally announce his candidacy.
Walt Disney World Resort president Jeff Vahle said the company was "ready to work within this new framework."
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Good for Disney!
wussolini gets taken down by an almost 100 year old cartoon mouse...
That doesn't speak well of Florida.
Not even a little,
So? That doesn't really mean anything. It simply does not speak well of the voters.
You erroneously presume I am a liberal. But that is incorrect.
And you are still wrong. Funny how you have to try and make things a liberal/conservative thing when that is not the issue.
Yes!
A failure on your part.
Projection.
You seem to be making up your own facts, which is as good as lying.
Biden winning does not speak well of the voters.
More projection.
I never said it did.
I never said you said it did. Your turn.
Then why even bring up Biden when he's not the focus of discussion?
1. Because I chose to.
2. You made a comment on something that made voters look bad. My comment was about something that made the voters look bad. I see a connection there.
More like you're making up a connection and veering off topic as Biden is not the focus. But if you want to engage in such tactics, be my guest. It only reflects poorly on you.
It only reflects poorly on you.
Biden winning reflects very well on those who voted for them.
I bet you voted for the former 'president'. That doesn't reflect very well at all on those who voted for him.
I would be ashamed to admit it, voting for #45 that is.
Ha, great, and the author of the ''don't say gay'' bill, Joe Harding had to resign and has
been indicted on various criminal charges.
Florida’s ‘don’t say gay’ bill author indicted for money laundering
I've read a couple of stories about this now. His lawyer's defense is pretty funny.
What does this have to do with the seeded article? If you want to talk about Joe Harding getting indicted start a new post.
Both are examples of FL politics.
Well, DUH it is another example of Florida politics.
You''re not the author of this seed so you don't get to tell others that they're off topic
What do adults meeting at a conference have to do will a bill that protects 9 years old kid from being sexualized?
8 and 9 year olds probably don't need lessons on sexual orientation or gender identity but to say they're "being sexualized" is a bit extreme.
It's all extreme. It's a non-issue that's been made an issue by the 'right'
“…they're "being sexualized"…
….as opposed to ‘the boys will be boys’ excuse we all grew up with and some refuse to grow out of.
I think that's the entire point of the law, TBH.
sexualize
verb
transitive verb
I never said that.
I do believe, however, that there are topics and experiences that are inappropriate for kids that age.
Food for thought:
Many LGBTQ babes/children/youth do not have affirmation early in their lives in-house. Thus, they suffer in silence alone and in the community. Schools/staff try to diffuse the cultural absence of support and overabundance of violence, battery, and smothering in heterosexuality just to make mothers/fathers/familial folks/family fiends comfortable with the direction of a homosexual individual.
BTW, kids by design/intent/commonality are inundated with heterosexual truths in our cultural, legal system, and world religions. Heterosexuality is everywhere supported and encouraged in civil society, down to the family makeup/model. Critics know that to disturb LGBTQ children and keep them from settling in on who they are as part of the fabric of society will hinder them thinking positive about who they are becoming. It's damn cruel, and its been that way for centuries upon centuries.
Not only does world societies PROMOTE heterosexuality to the ng degree; largely world societies DEMOTE homosexuality at every opportunity, more or less!
Yet, LGBTQ people are expected to follow every other standard of "taxation" in our system of government, while often being denied benefit and being ostracized.
And these some conservatives meddlers and loud-mouths fail to speak to the obvious: Adults, including parents, talking sexual language and sexualizing children is not only morally tainted and frowned upon it is illegal.
Some conservatives are spreading propaganda and abusing words for gain and to get people who are unaware to let conservatives hold the so-called moral high ground.
Don't let them get away with it!
Exactly. It's a non-issue and was never really an issue before. Now suddenly it is? It's just an attempt to villify a group over nothing to pander an ignorant and/or bigoted base for votes.
If you mix them together, they turn into clickbait?
It worked to get you here.
I didn't say it was ineffective.
meh, it's really not hard to tell in the south who has pornhub.com/gay porn bookmarked...
Seems like you know the exact link.
Must be your homepage.
oh yeah, a double play of projecting comments...
I am glad that Disney is standing up to a political bully: Ron DeSantis.
Yes, they are really standing up to DeSantis.
Holding to what amounts to a jobs seminar and fair. Oh the horror! I am sure DeSantis will have them arrested for sure!
Unless they are planning try and indoctrinate kids, strip, or do other sexual acts in front of children DeSantis won't give a shit. In fact he will be thrilled with the extra income for Florida from the event. Also the tax revenue Disney will now have to pay on the profits. (Remember when leftists were against corporations not paying taxes?)
Go Disney! This won't make up for the garbage films you are putting out; but you are winning points with the Woke!
We can probably guarantee his secret police will be watching.
Disney is publicizing its intention to "SAY GAY" all it wants. Damn the trashy republican can be defied. Now, what else can he do in an attempt to hurt Disney? (Apparently, his political future depends on him being able to 'own' Disney.)
Where the fuck do these things happen as described in the second paragraph of your nonsense rant there?
It's nuts the way y'all make up shit that you claim is happening which sounds like sick fantasies that you are projecting.
I can't help but giggle at the seed image with Mickey smiling and waving next to The Grinch who Stole Christmas
Oh...and I spit tea out of my mouth when I read the title....lol...good kjob EG! I really needed that giggle
I will say it: Ron DeSantis is political trash, period. Messing around/over with folks who all their lives have had to fight for everything in society they can 'get' makes DeSantis tacky trashy.
I doubt if he gives a shit.
When is it normal to teach little kids about sexual orientation and gender identity?
What's next? Giving them illustrated "study aids" showing the most popular sex positions....including gays and lesbians?
Bunch of sick fucks in that Disney organization...hope their taxes get increased.
When did you learn about moms and dads? That's sexual orientation.
If you want to continue to be hyperbolic, we could say some want to give them guns and others want to put them to work so they can earn their keep, but none of that is helpful.
Buch of sick fucks that stick their noses in other peoples private business... hope they get voted out of office.
BINGO
Don't be ridiculous. It is illegal and unethical to teach kids about sex outside of the bounds of community standards, so that is damn cheap propaganda statement from some conservatives. It is safe/normal to talk about sexuality and gender identity with children who are struggling with themselves (and society surrounding them) as warranted. What is unsafe/abnormal is to turn their suffering or confusion or need into political fodder/noise for an election.
Homosexual CHILDREN have rights too in the state of Florida! And DeSantis is political trash for pretending to care about youth when what he has is a pretext to give his party what it wants in hopes of everybody in Florida voting conservatives (or move out)! Clearly, DeSantis knows there are not enough LGBTQ voters in the state to 'matter' to his control-play over them.
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My sister was swaddled in a pink blanky. I had a blue blanky.
Sexual orientation begins at birth.
“My sister was swaddled in a pink blanky. I had a blue blanky.”
As an aside, my youngest son needed a new winter coat before his kindergarten year so we took him shopping and he picked a pink coat.
You cannot imagine the grief we took.
Later that year, his best buddy spent the day with us and when my son was playing with his mom’s old Barbie dolls, his friend told us he wasn’t allowed to play with them.
My son is now engaged to a wonderful young lady and his friend has been in a long term relationship with an amazing young man. They are friends to the end and we could not be happier for the four of them.
To apply labels or stereotypes is ignoring the fact that we are all wired differently…magnificently.
And that magnificence should have no judgment attached.
I thought it was funny when I came across it at lunch today. I knew a few of us would get a giggle.
I did not laugh, but I did smile and thought: Just desserts. And act of defiance against a bully.
Walt Disney really screwed the pooch when he gave Mickey only four fingers. I guess he didn’t anticipate that Mickey would ever need to give some asshole the finger.
When it comes to Desantis and his bullshit anti-woke nonsense Mickey Mouse can still manage to make his real feelings known just fine...
You do realize Micky is a fictional cartoon character don't you? He has no feelings.
But he gave him pants. Poor Donald has to walk around with his feathers dangling in the air
Speaking of Donald’s tiny feathers …
That's disgusting but I keep coming back to it
Do you really think his pubic hair is blonde?
Eiiiiiiwwwwww!!!!!!!!!
Shield your eyes!!!!
Too Late!!!!!! It is now burned into my brain.
Oh good grief! Now I can't unsee that. Thanks a lot Hal
he had dark hair 40+ years ago, but we'll probably find out in a few weeks...
elementary. the telltale signs in every maga smile. they don't make black dental floss...
I thought he was always blond?
It makes sense that some peoples weird fascination with everything Trump would eventually lead them between his legs.
Unlike Covid it seems some sicknesses are still getting worse.
he wasn't and you can find pictures online of that clown from the 70's and 80's.
you're right. his hair was brown
meh, maga is more like a mental illness...
All kinds of sick.
science.
... check your toothbrush.
Go Team Mickey.
Funny how they keep calling it the "Don't say Gay " bill even though the bill itself never says that. It just shows some people don't seem to have an issue with disinformation as long as it aligns with their narrative.
As for Disney.....Fuck Disney.
Yeah. F--k Disney? Got it. That's not right down the center. Disney cares about people. Yes, that means conservatives and some conservatives too! DeSantis cares about some conservatives/republicans.
Disney cares about money.
And still they don't care about DeSantis' administration benefits of capitalism. And they don't care if homophobic MAGAns (the "collective" MAGA) come to the theme park or not! I'd say Disney is putting it money where its mouth is.
Not really. There is no doubt that Disney did a study to see exactly what impact a woke stance would have on their bottom line. To think otherwise is either willful ignorance or just plain ignorance. As far as this particular event I doubt DeSantis really cares much at all.
You imply that 'woke' won the bottom line 'test' at Disney. Or, will you deny that you are implying this?
I mean, you don't really 'tack' anything up that you plan to let stand longer than one comment - unless it is a defense of republican partisan politics.
No doubt? Really? Do you have even a single shred of evidence about this study?
Please don't tell me you are so naïve as to think a large publicly held company would not research how getting involved in politics could effect their bottom line and investors.
I wasn't implying it, I was outright saying it. Disney researched it and came to a conclusion.
Prove it. Don't just announce it. Go!
Prove to you that a large company in a capitalistic country whose goal is to maximize profit and shareholder wealth actually thought about it before jumping in the political pool. How about you give it a little thought. Believe it or don't believe it. Or pick up a business 101 book.
As you can see, that proof will never be forthcoming.
It wasn't Disney who jumped into the political pool.
It was Dick Santis sticking his nose where it doesn't belong and they let him know.
Agreed. If it is soooooooo easy to testify to, then RDtC should have an easier time validating his assertion of a woke 'deliverable.' Just produce something from Disney about its decision-making process that is 'woke.' Those 'lips' are moving, but production is simply not happening.
It is evidence that with the loss of FREEDOM to self-govern such an American institution as Disney World, that Disney has taken a stance for something that goes beyond capitalism. BTW, capitalism is not the issue here, it can't be the only thing worthwhile in life, because as the saying goes money is not the only thing that gives human beings happiness!
Disney has take a stance for the 'little guy.' And for that, the company should be rewarded. Not 'man-handled' by greedy, meddlesome, conservatives who want to repress a minority group with limited power.
Maybe you can borrow business 101 when he is done with it.
It was Disney that first decided to get vocal about a bill that was being passed so once again you are wrong.
I have a feeling that someone that thinks a public company doesn't take profits into consideration can't be convinced of anything they don't already think is true. And based on all your past posts I have yet to see you change your mind about anything once it is made up no matter how much proof is given. So once again believe it or don't believe it, I really don't care.
Confuses the shit out of some people
That's full of $hit. Your 'base' of ability to agree with truth when it is expressed by anyone is in a word: anemic. Why? Because ACTUALLY what YOU mean when you say "change your mind" means I don't permit the conservative worldview to take hold of me. As for proof, again, I suggest you 'park' your war-horse and allow it to graze, while you go live your conservative life experience and let a minority community of LGBTQ citizens, DUBBED, "gays" live their freedoms and liberties without collective conservative opining on everything we do and political abuse!
Have you ever seen a Charlie Brown TV show when the teacher is talking?
Ditto.
Trying every excuse you can think of to avoid admitting that you pulled your claim out of your ass.
Nope
Having issues with "disinformation" is rich coming from partisans that excel at spreading it as long as it aligns with their narrative. It also indicates you probably didn't read past the headline which is indicative of someone not actually wanting to discuss the article, but only to troll.
So tell me, where in the bill does it state "Don't say Gay"? If you actually read the bill you would know it doesn't. Where in the article does it say DeSantis actually has an issue with Disney having the event. If you actually read the article you would see it says " in a move that could trigger conflict with Governor Ron DeSantis ". So it seems that everyone is getting in a twitter over something that may never happen. Again, if you read the bill you would see it is about what is age appropriate and not about "Don't say Gay" so enjoy trolling because that is all you are doing.
Enough of this negative bifurcating. You know what 'dubbing' is or now know what it is. It is the giving of a nickname or a short sometimes facetious name to a thing. It is never that hard to figure out. For example: it is conservatives that DUBBED the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACT) as OBAMA-CARE; the Parents Bill of Rights" by House Republicans which is dubbed "Politics over Parents Act" by Senate Democrats (it likely won't pass the senate upcoming).
Don't behave as thought you can't process the reimagining of bill naming/designating. Surely you can.
process the reimagining
Yes. It is also called spinning or more recently disinformation. So take your condescension to someone else.
Another dubbing; "Soft money."
So called, " Soft money " used to buy 'issue ads' ended up focused on one candidate near election time, making it possible to influence an election and a vote for a candidate.
I report. You decide. I don't care how you read it: dubbing names is a D.C. facts. One I am sure you are familiar with and I will be sure to point it out to you the very NEXT time I encounter you 'dubbing' a nickname given by some republican or other politician!
Nice left turn. It also sounds like you plan to stalk me and that is a bit creepy
You think of this as "creepy"? Really! You have a curious take on what creepy is.
I thought democrats were all about validating peoples feelings. It seems not.
Relevancy?
Try reading 8.3.7 again. It is right there. If you still don't see it there is nothing I can do to help.
Please. It feelings that are in play when conservatives steal elections (Bush v. Gore, for all the good it did conservatives and their 'brand') and passions which were in play recently when conservatives staged a siege of the federal capitol under the pretense that conservatives are the citizens for which the constitution was written—alone. Somehow, the fools thought intimidation would win the day, that is until a gun was fired and back-up arrived for the feds.
Relevancy? You sure do like to bloviate.
Stop stalling alread y [derailleur] .
[Deleted]
How else are they going to get the fake ass outrage.
The original bill was changed in Feb. 2023 to keep the ''special tax district''. DeSantis and the Florida legislature finally figured out that the citizens of Orange and Osceola counties would be on the hook for over $1 billion dollars of bond debt, something that they had been warned about for a year.