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. 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.
