Disney faces backlash over LGBTQ controversy: ‘It’s just pure nonsense’

 

Article title: Disney faces backlash over LGBTQ controversy: ‘It’s just pure nonsense’

Source: The Guardian

Date: 21 March 2022

URL: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/21/disney-faces-backlash-lgbtq-controversy-dont-say-gay-bill-florida

Summary:

  This article can be summed up in several points:

・Disney typically has not gotten involved in lots of controversial social issues. They are just media giants doing business in order to be more successful. Disney company's one of the world’s biggest media and entertainment empires, prides itself on a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) friendly culture.

・Next up was Florida's bill, '' Don't say gay'' a controversial bill on sexual orientation or gender identity that has been taught since kindergarten through third grade. 

・Later, more protests from Disney workers erupted against the Florida bill, and Disney didn't seem to come out in defense of them, which made them think they would. It's not safe to work in a place where the law doesn't support them.

・It was tone deaf response, misjudging the mood of an era in which companies face heightened ethical expectations to take a stand on issues such as Black Lives Matter. Although they sent messages to Disney employees confirming that the company supports the LGBTQ rights, they argued that corporate statements were often ineffective.

・The governments of each party have their own arguments, especially the Republican and the Democrats. Republicans are less supportive of LGBTQ claims, unlike Democrats, they stand alongside these group to perform that stand on equality.

・The employee protests will culminate with a general walkout by LGBTQ workers and their supporters at Disney worksites. the Human Rights Campaign has said it will stop accepting 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”.

Reaction: 

  Personally, I think there is a solution to these problems, which is to understand and accept each other's differences. Whether you have a different identity, appearance, or gender, you deserve to be equal with everyone else. Wherever you are in the world, what we all deserve is equal treatment that doesn't differ from anyone, even if we ourselves are different from everyone else. In my view, it would be a good idea to go to the media and ask them to help campaign for equality of human rights. But if there is politics to intervene, I think it will be a huge matter and the interests of politics into the shadows.

Question: 

- How do you think these problems would be solved if they happened in your community?

- If many of you don't accept differences or don't understand individual rights, will that cause bigger problems?