Ron DeSantis’ War on Disney

If you’ve been following the DeSantis vs. Disney feud, you know that it’s gotten ugly over the last year. In March 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law, which prohibited Florida teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in their classrooms for certain grades. Former CEO of the Walt Disney Company Bob Chapek spoke out against it and called DeSantis to let him know he opposed it, even promising to pause political donations in Florida.

Conservatives pushed back, calling Disney another “woke” company, and Florida’s Board of Education, with members hand-picked by DeSantis, voted that the bill would cover all grades. 

What followed was DeSantis, a possible presidential candidate in the 2024 election, continuing to target Disney. There have been lawsuits, the dissolving of an entire district, and threats around tax increases and a state prison near the Park. Here, we’ve explored the intense and often petty back-and-forth between Florida’s Governor and Disney.