'Don't Say Gay' Signed Into Law, Disney Vows To See It 'Struck Down'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law, and the Walt Disney Co. DIS immediately issued a statement vowing to have the bill struck down.

What Happened: The legislation, House Bill 1557, is officially called the “Parental Rights in Education” bill and prohibits teaching classes related to gender identity or sexual orientation for students in kindergarten through third grade. The bill takes effect July 1 and will enable parents to sue school districts that violate the new law.

“In Florida, we not only know that parents have a right to be involved, we insist that parents have a right to be involved,” DeSantis said this afternoon in a Tallahassee ceremony for the bill signing.

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What Happened Next: Minutes after the bill became law, Disney issued a statement attributed to an unnamed spokesperson.

“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,” the statement said. “Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that.

“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 statement added.

Disney’s vow to tear down the new law is the latest chapter in the company’s complicated handling of the issue, which originally ranged from public neutrality by CEO Bob Chapek before turning into a vocal opposition that DeSantis dismissed as “woke” while some LGBTQ organizations and Disney employees considered as being inadequate.

Photo of Gov. DeSantis by Gage Skidmore / Flickr Creative Commons