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Credit: DisneyA former longtime employee is suing Disney after being allegedly discriminated against.
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Candace McGee has filed a lawsuit against her former employer, the Disneyland Resort, claiming she was a target of “religious discrimination.” According to a new report from Disney parks-focused news site Pirates and Princess, McGee claims she was fired from her position due to comments she made on an internal social media communication channel.
McGee had served as a security team leader for 23 years before parting ways with the company. She is being represented by religious liberty attorneys Alan Reinach and Beth Mora.
What Happened Exactly?
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This controversial piece of legislation prohibited public schools from teaching anything to do with sexual orientation and gender identity to those in kindergarten through third grade. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis championed the bill, calling out detractors and critics, including Disney.
This caused significant tension between the two due to Disney owning and operating what is perhaps Florida’s largest tourism destination, Walt Disney World, with threats flying left and right from DeSantis and other Republican officials.
McGee’s attorneys state in the lawsuit that Disney Company CEO Bob Iger’s handling of this legislation “generated considerable bias against Christians as well as conflating Christian conservatives with all things Christian.”
In November of 2022, a senior Disneyland employee allegedly shared their opinion on the “Don’t Say Gay” development on Yammer, which, in part, reads:
…in general discourse, I’ve noticed that what most people seem to mean by “don’t be political” means not centering stories on women, people of color, LGBTQ+, non-binary, transgender and other marginalized communities, and sometimes, they don’t even mean putting any of the people in those categories in prominent roles, but putting them in films and shows at all. …
I have long held the view that what many people want to brand as ‘political discussion is really just human discussion. Imagine how hurtful it is to be told time and time again that your very existence is a political matter, stripping you completely of your humanity. …
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This post led to a lengthy back-and-forth, with McGee eventually writing, “Sexual content in children’s movies is NOT acceptable, ever.” McGee reportedly felt the need to defend her faith and began citing bible passages.
One employee, identified as R. Spang, wrote back, allegedly saying, “You side with the oppressors, abusers, and murderers, at least in thought and word. In other words, you scare me. Just because you are not carrying the knife or gun does not make you any less of a threat to my existence.”
The employee continued, “Violence begins with thoughts. I believe that if you were allowed to get away with it, you would see violence directed towards the sinners who indoctrinate children, as I believe that those who call me abhorrent would as well.”
These comments apparently continued, leaving McGee feeling “distressed by the overt attacks on her religious beliefs. She struggled to process the ongoing discussion in Yammer she viewed, which openly invited and permitted discriminatory, harassing, and retaliatory conduct against religion and religious persons without regard for the Defendant’s policies and rights of Cast Members.”
The lawsuit also claims that McGee was reprimanded for wishing guests “Merry Christmas” during the holidays at the parks.
McGee is suing Disneyland for lost past and future wages, as well as missed bonuses, stock options, and medical benefits. In addition to monetary damage, McGee is also seeking justice for alleged emotional distress, mental anguish, and humiliation.
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