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The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger stood with his predecessor Bob Chapek’s stance on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s “Don’t Say Gay” law during Monday’s 2023 Annual Shareholders meeting. He spoke about the conservative Governor’s looming investigation into the Reedy Creek Improvement District board secretly stripping its powers one day before handing control to the government-controlled Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
“We love the state of Florida, and I think that’s reflected in not only how much we’ve invested in the last 50 years but how much we’ve given back in the form of jobs and community service, taxes… tourism of course, and all sorts of other responsible business practice,” Iger said. “We’ve also always respected and appreciated what the state has done for us. It’s kind of been a two-way street.”
Iger acknowledged that The Walt Disney Company didn’t perfectly handle its “Don’t Say Gay” response but said the company has “a right to freedom of speech just like individuals do.” He detailed plans to invest over $17 billion into and create 13,000 jobs at Walt Disney World Resort, sharing that 50 million Guests visit the Central Florida Disney Park annually.
“The Governor got very angry about the position Disney took, and it seems like he’s decided to retaliate against us… In effect, to punish a company for its exercise of a constitutional right,” Iger said. “That just seems really wrong to me, against any company or individual but particularly against a company that means so much to the state that you live in.”
“We are the largest taxpayer in the state,” he continued. “…Our point on this is any action that thwarts those efforts simply to retaliate for a position the company took sounds not just anti-business, but it sounds anti-Florida.”
Iger was then asked if he felt The Walt Disney Company should speak out on political issues such as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. He reiterated the importance of speaking out when an issue directly impacts Disney’s business and Cast Members.
“I think if you look back, for decades, corporate America has expressed themselves on numerous issues of both right and wrong. Our country, I think, is better off for that,” Iger said. He compared the issue of LGBTQIA+ rights to previous historical movements.
“It was evident during the Civil Rights era. As I recall, as a child, a lot of companies weighed in on injustices that they saw in America,” he recalled. “It was certainly true during World War II when those that stood in silence in some ways still carry the state of indifference.”
“As long as I’m in the job, I’m going to continue to be guided by a sense of decency and respect and trust our instincts that when we do weigh in, we weigh in because the issue is truly relevant to our business and to the people that work for us,” he concluded.
Should The Walt Disney Company have spoken about “Don’t Say Gay?” Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.