Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
The organization originally rejected Disney’s donation until “we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates.”
By Christy Piña
Six months after the Human Rights Campaign turned down the donation Disney CEO Bob Chapek pledged to give them, HRC is accepting a portion of the company’s $5 million pledge toward organizations supporting LGBTQ rights protection.
Originally, the organization refused the donation because it wanted to hold off on receiving the funds until Disney took meaningful action to ensure laws like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill wouldn’t pass. Now that it has, Disney is trying to make amends for its original response to the bill, which is formally called the Parental Rights in Education law.
Related Stories
In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, Elizabeth Bibi, a spokesperson for the organization, explained that it would accept the donation after long discussions with Disney because it believes the company has “stood firm” and “taken real action” to support the LGBTQ community.
“Over the last several months, we have been having very productive conversations with Disney about the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ laws and policies and what they can do to help our community — specifically, what they can do to make the world safer and more welcoming for LGBTQ+ people, especially the youth and families currently under political attack,” Bibi said in the message.
She continued, “Following their shareholder meeting in March, Disney was the only major company in Florida or the entertainment industry to specifically call for a repeal of the ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ law. Disney has stood firm in their commitments to our community, and the company has taken real action to meet their employees’ needs and lean into their values of diversity, equity and inclusion. We’re grateful for Disney’s meaningful and ongoing engagement around the impact of anti-LGBTQ+ laws and policies, which builds on the company’s many years of strong support for the LGBTQ+ community, and are thankful to them for their support of HRC’s work.”
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity by school personnel in public schools for kindergarten through third grade. It also gives parents the right to sue districts over alleged violations.
In March, HRC interim president Joni Madison said in a statement, “The Human Rights Campaign will not accept this money from Disney until we see them build on their public commitment and work with LGBTQ+ advocates to ensure that dangerous proposals, like Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill, don’t become dangerous laws, and if they do, to work to get them off the books.”
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Send us a tip using our anonymous form.
