Perhaps it’s a call Chapek should’ve made sooner. A DeSantis spokesperson told The New York Times that while the call did take place, no meeting had been set up, and the governor’s position hadn’t changed. If you are currently feeling bad about other people and it’s causing you a lot of anxiety, don’t be afraid to express your feelings. In some cases, you’ll meet people you’ll hate for no reason. That is why it’s only expected that you encounter some who might annoy, frustrate or embarrass you. On Wednesday, Chapek said he called DeSantis to “express our disappointment and concern” over the effects the bill could have, and he claimed the governor agreed to meet with LGTBQ+ members of Disney leadership to discuss it. Not all people have the same personality. The legislation is on Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk, and he’s expected to sign it. It seems this will soon come to pass, though. The HRC’s interim president, Joni Madison, declined the offer, saying the organization wouldn’t accept money from Disney “until we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates” to make sure measures like the one in Florida don’t become law. He also claimed Disney would be assessing its political donations in Florida, and pledged to donate $5 million to LGBTQ organizations like the Human Rights Campaign. The company had always been opposed to the bill, he claimed, but “we chose not to take a public position because we felt we could be more effective working behind the scenes directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.” “I know that many are upset that we did not speak out against the bill,” he said during Wednesday's shareholder meeting. But as this week rolled on, Chapek clearly realized his statements weren’t going to fly. The outcry continued until Wednesday, when Chapek did an about-face during the company’s shareholder meeting, saying, “Our original approach, no matter how well intended, didn’t quite get the job done.” Disney was now opposed to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Then, on Tuesday, the Florida legislature passed the measure, which restricts discussions of gender and sexuality in grade schools. Get the latest Packers news, schedule, photos and rumors from Packers Wire, the best Packers. Many who work for Disney, as well as Walt Disney’s own grandniece, weren’t pleased. He started it by sending a memo to his staff on Monday stating that, while he and the leadership team stood in support of LGTBQ+ employees and communities, the company wouldn’t be making a public statement condemning the so-called “ Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, where it is a major employer.
The Monitor is a weekly column devoted to everything happening in the WIRED world of culture, from movies to memes, TV to Twitter.īob Chapek, The New York Times wrote this week, needed to emerge from “ a crisis of his own making.” It’s been a long week for the Disney CEO.