CEO says Disney ‘stood our ground’ against ‘barrage’ of attacks over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek said in a new interview the company “stood our ground” against the “barrage” of attacks for their public disapproval of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Monday, Chapek addressed his initial hesitance to speak out on the divisive bill, which he later apologized for.

“When you’re a lightning rod for clicks and for political podium speeches, the essence of our brand can be misappropriated or misused to try to fit the needs of any one particular group’s agenda. We want to rise above that,” Chapek told the magazine.

“We certainly don’t want to get caught up in any political subterfuge, but at the same time we also realize that we want to represent a brighter tomorrow for families of all types, regardless of how they define themselves.”

Chapek also applauded how the company responded to backlash from political figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis once Disney did take a stand against the bill and paused political donations in the state.

“We are a very cohesive, big, happy family. I think our staff saw how I stood firm during the ultimate barrage of attacks from certain political constituencies and, frankly, I think it was much stronger and much longer and much harder than they ever could have imagined and we stood our ground,” Chapek told the outlet. 

“So I think it’s safe to say that actions speak louder than words, and they saw resiliency and consistency no matter how strong the attacks,” Chapek added. 

Disney is still facing the fallout from its public feud with DeSantis over its opposition to the Parental Rights in Education bill. 

DeSantis signed into law a bill that strips Disney’s long-held municipal autonomy at their Orlando-based theme parks, also threatening to have state, not local governments, control the company’s special district. 

The education legislation, often referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prohibits primary school teachers from classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity, while educators of all grade levels will be prohibited from instruction on those topics that is not “age appropriate or developmentally appropriate” for their students.