Disney has signed a letter in help of a federal legislation to guard same-sex marriages after taking a drubbing this 12 months over its response to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Homosexual” legislation.
The Mouse Home signed an open letter spearheaded by the Human Rights Marketing campaign, urging the Senate to move the Respect for Marriage Act, which has already handed the Home.
The invoice seeks to repeal the Protection of Marriage Act handed in 1996, which barred the federal authorities from acknowledging same-gender couples married beneath state legislation and didn’t require states to legally respect same-sex marriages carried out in different states.
The Supreme Courtroom’s 2013 ruling in US v. Windsor struck down DOMA and allowed for LGBTQ marriage. However latest statements made by Justice Clarence Thomas in his opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade recommended that the courtroom may be trying to overturn rulings like Windsor.
Disney was one in every of 173 companies that signed the letter, together with Apple, Google, Sony, Amazon, NBCUniversal’s Comcast and Goldman Sachs.
“Individuals from all walks of life, throughout demographics, geographies, and occasion strains agree that loving, dedicated couples have the best to be revered and guarded beneath the legislation,” the letter stated. “As many people highlighted in our help for Marriage Equality in 2015, a patchwork of inconsistent and discriminatory state marriage legal guidelines goes in opposition to our firm values and makes it more durable for us to do enterprise and to recruit and retain prime expertise.”
The transfer comes because the Mouse Home is embroiled in a conflict with Gov. Ron DeSantis over its opposition to Florida’s “Parental Rights in Schooling” legislation, which bans instructing kids about matters together with gender id and sexual orientation earlier than fourth grade.
Initially, Disney CEO Bob Chapek didn't come out in opposition to the laws, which angered LGBTQ workers and allies contained in the Mouse Home, inflicting huge backlash and an worker walkout. The exec backpedaled, denouncing the laws and providing a $5 million donation to the HRC in March.
As solely reported by The Publish, the HRC refused the cash partly as a result of Disney didn’t safe acceptance from the group earlier than publicly asserting it and placing out a press launch. The gesture landed with a thud when HRC stated publicly it might refuse the donation till Disney took “significant motion” to fight the laws.
The embattled Chapek then introduced he would droop Disney’s political donations in Florida, which spurred DeSantis to retaliate.
In April, DeSantis signed into legislation a measure that dissolves Reedy Creek Enchancment District, which operates as an autonomous entity on land straddling Orange and Osceola counties that has the facility to levy taxes, construct infrastructure, grant licenses and institute its personal zoning legal guidelines.
The brand new legislation dissolving the district doesn’t take impact till June 2023.
However the turmoil at Disney extends past its beef with DeSantis. The corporate is at a cultural crossroads in some methods, strolling a tightrope to attraction to its broad swath of followers that embody conservative households and younger, liberal prospects and workers.
Some critics have accused the agency of changing into too “woke” as a way to seem extra inclusive and politically appropriate, angering Disney diehards.
For example, Disney just lately ditched the time period “fairy godmothers” for extra inclusive, gender-neutral titles at dress-up boutiques inside its theme parks.
Final summer season, Disney scrubbed the usage of “girls and gents, girls and boys” from its theme parks, and adjusted its once-strict gown code coverage. Theme park workers now can present as much as work with seen tattoos in no matter gender costume they need.
It has additionally modified a few of its rides that will have appeared insensitive to prospects.
For instance, the corporate eliminated a shrunken head seller character named “Dealer Sam” from Jungle Cruise and removed the “Take a wench for a bride” scene from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” experience. The scene depicted crying girls tied along with ropes, for example.
Even so, the HRC’s open letter supporting the Respect for Marriage Act marks one of many first recognized public stances Disney has taken in help of LGBTQ rights since its March controversy.
A rep for Disney didn't instantly reply to requests for remark.
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