Ron DeSantis stood in the far-flung shadows of The Walt Disney Company and furiously said they "crossed the line." The Florida governor was displeased that the international corporate conglomerate dared to announce they would repeal his exclusionary "Don't Say Gay Bill," which DeSantis signed into law yesterday.
"I think they crossed the line," the anti-freedoms Republican said at a press conference in Tallahassee today. As if there's anything he can do about it.
Uh, sorry poor sport, but it looks like you are the one who crossed the line.
From The Hill:
The Walt Disney Company issued a statement shortly after the bill was signed on Monday that said, "Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, 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"Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that," the spokesperson said.
"We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country," the spokesperson added.
The bill is set to go into effect on July 1 and will prohibit 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.
Disney has previously received flak for its stance on the bill. CEO Bob Chapek apologized for remaining silent on the anti-LGBTQ bill, facing criticism from the company's rank and file.
"It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights. You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down," Chapek said. "I am sorry."
