Following criticism of his previous handling of LGBTQ issues, disney CEO Bob Iger told employees Monday that inclusion and acceptance are among the “core values” of the company’s storytelling.
Disney had faced criticism under previous CEO Bob Chapek for its handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which banned instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. Disney’s recent inclusion of unambiguously gay characters in animated films has also drawn criticism from anti-LGBTQ activists.
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“This company has been telling stories for 100 years, and those stories have had a meaningful, positive impact on the world, and one of the reasons they have a meaningful, positive impact is because one of the core values of our storytelling is inclusion and acceptance. And tolerance, and we can’t lose that,” Iger said Monday.
Iger also said that some topics that have proved controversial should not be considered political.
“I don’t think it’s political when you’re telling stories and trying to be a good citizen of the world,” he said, according to sources who heard the incident and asked to remain anonymous because it would be public. was not open to
With the Florida bill, Chapek has said that he initially decided not to speak on the measure because he wanted to work “behind the scenes” to engage with lawmakers. However, his silence has led many opponents of the bill to believe that Disney is becoming complacent.
When Chapek later came out against the bill, his statements angered Florida lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, prompted the state to pass a bill that would dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was established in 1967 so the company could develop infrastructure. and would be primarily responsible for the cost of municipal services such as electricity, water and fire protection.
The retaliatory action, set to take effect in June 2023, means Disney will now have to go through local counties to approve construction projects such as hotels and theme park expansions. It also means that the local county will be responsible for all municipal services and debt in the district.
On Monday, Iger told staff that he is still getting momentum on the upcoming desegregation Reedy Creek District.
He told staffers, “I’m sorry to see us being dragged into that fight, and I don’t really know what the ramifications of that are.”
Additionally, Iger addressed the company’s previously announced plans to move more than 2,000 jobs from California to Florida, noting that the move has been delayed until 2026 and that the company is still finalizing the details. what jobs will be transferred. He said that he is not withdrawing the decision to transfer these jobs, but is considering the proposed transfer.
Another major controversy involves Disney’s animation studio, which has begun to include more LGBTQ characters as part of Pixar and Disney Animation’s efforts to produce stories that include a more diverse array of characters and cultures. is included.
Ahead of the June release of “Lightyear,” the company made headlines when Pixar creatives managed to restore a gay kiss that had been cut from the film. Its latest animated release, “Strange World”, also features a main character who is gay and has a crush on a boy in the film.
Disney was praised for including such characters, but many felt the company did not do enough to support the decision when it received backlash from some conservative critics.
On Monday, Iger pointed to films such as “Black Panther” and “Coco” as examples of Disney projects that “changed the world for good.” Iger said the company’s creative decisions won’t please everyone, but its studios won’t undermine their core values.
“It’s complicated, and there’s a balance,” he said.
Iger Also announced plans for company’s hiring freeze during town hallfocus on making its streaming platform profitable and re-evaluate the company’s overall organizational structure.