DeSantis: Disney ‘crossed the line’ with so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has spoken out about Disney’s opposition to the Parental Rights in Education Bill, also dubbed by critics a “Don’t Say Gay” bill, calling their efforts to repeal the bill of “crossing the boundaries”. The governor, who was talking about a lawsuit filed by the state over a mask mandate on airplanes, called Disney’s actions hypocrisy.
WASHINGTON – A group of Republican senators is asking the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board to update its rating system to notify parents if a show contains an LGBTQ+ character.
Senators Roger Marshall, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, Steve Daines and Kevin Cramer signed and sent the letter to council chairman Charles Rivkin on Wednesday. The senators have asked Rivkin for a response by May 18 and an in-person meeting with the board.
“In recent years, topics of a sexual nature have become aggressively politicized and promoted in children’s programs, including irreversible and harmful experimental treatments for mental disorders like gender dysphoria,” the letter reads.
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“To that end, we urge you to update the TV Parental Guidelines and ensure they are up to date on best practices that help inform parents about this disturbing content,” he continued.
The senators pointed to Karey Burke, president of Disney’s General Entertainment Content, saying she supports having “many, many, many LGBTQIA+ characters in our stories.”
A video of Burke’s remarks was posted on Twitter.
“This radical and sexual sensation not only harms children, but also destabilizes and infringes on parental rights,” the letter continues.
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Senators also called out Disney for opposing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after he signed a bill banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. a policy that has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who say it marginalizes. LGBTQ people.
Florida removes special powers from Disney: DeSantis will sign repeal
The Florida House passed the bill to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which gave Disney special status more than 50 years ago, allowing it to act as its own government over property. company. The move comes amid Governor Ron DeSantis’ very public battle with the Walt Disney Company over support for the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which DeSantis signed into law last month.
The Walt Disney Company, a power player in Florida politics, has suspended political donations in the state, and LGBTQ advocates who work for the company have criticized CEO Bob Chapek for what they called slowness to react against the bill. Some left work in protest.
After DeSantis signed the measure, Disney released a statement saying, “Our goal as a company is to have this law repealed by the legislature or struck down by the courts, and we remain committed to supporting national and state organizations that are working to achieve this.”
The television program rating system was adopted in conjunction with the so-called V-chip, which is required in all televisions built since 2000 and allows parents to block programs they deem objectionable by rating.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
