“Feud between Disney and Florida Governor escalates over ‘Don’t say gay’ law”

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  Mary deVries

  correspondent United States

The feud between Disney and the state of Florida escalates. The entertainment company has plans to build a new Disney campus near Orlando called off.

The feud began last year when Disney’s CEO was critical of the “Parents’ Rights in Education” law, also known as the “Don’t say gay” law. It stipulates that schools are no longer allowed to teach young children about sexual orientation and gender identity. That should be left to the parents.

At first, Disney’s board of directors was reluctant to express an opinion on the law because the company prefers to be apolitical, but after fierce protests from Disney employees, CEO Bob Chapek called Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He expressed concern that the law could be used against gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender children and parents.

DeSantis then stripped Disney of the self-government that the company has had in an area around Disneyworld since its establishment in Florida. In that area, about the size of Den Bosch, Disney takes care of the infrastructure, the fire brigade and other utilities, among other things. Since DeSantis’ measure, that board is now in the hands of his confidants.

“There’s a new sheriff in town and that’s the state of Florida,” DeSantis said when he signed into law early this year. disney complained DeSantis for what it calls a “merciless government retaliatory campaign” and suppression of free speech.

The new regional administration also issued a response court case against Disney.

Caught between the two Florida heavyweights are the residents of Celebration, a utopian town still owned by Walt Disney himself. designed and figured out.

The raked town with sleek lawns, white-painted houses and swimming pools with yellow umbrellas is largely dependent on Disney. Not only in terms of employment, but residents also make use of Disney’s fire department and infrastructure. At a public consultation evening for the new board, long-time resident Debbie McDonald expressed her concerns about the future of Celebration.

“This was always such a close-knit community, with people willing to help each other. Everyone knew everyone. It was really magical.” But that magic has been gone since DeSantis took on Disney. McDonald, who voted for DeSantis in the previous election, is stunned that he has launched an attack on Disney, one of the largest employers in the state.

Debbie and other residents of Celebration suspect that DeSantis is trying to gain national exposure in his fight against Disney for a possible run for president. That is why he would now also introduce the laws mentioned above that prohibit schools from teaching in the field of diversity and sexual orientation. He is said to be pursuing an ‘anti-woke agenda’ that appeals to conservative supporters.

This is what the Disney town of Celebration looks like:

In the previous election, half of Celebration voted Republican and the other half Democratic, and in this row too, the town is torn between Disney stalwarts and people who like what DeSantis is doing, such as real estate agent Mark Falcone: “People are of equal rights, aren’t they? “Well, with this, DeSantis has equated Disney with other theme parks and so they are no longer self-governing and have to pay the same taxes as everyone else. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?”

Falcone moved to Celebration precisely because a conservative wind has been blowing through Florida since DeSantis. “Walt Disney himself was also extremely conservative. He would turn over in his grave if he saw what Disney has been up to lately. With the focus on the gay community, also in their films and programs. The Disney audience consists of mostly religious family people. They don’t support the LGBTQ community. Disney shouldn’t get involved in politics.”

There are also plenty of people in Celebration who think DeSantis is going too far. “If you don’t think like he does, there will be consequences,” says Falcone. “That’s the message he’s sending with this. But that hasn’t been well received in the community. He now comes across as a bully.”