Pixar Employees Say Disney’s Statement on Commitment to LGBTQ Community Rang Hollow
Pixar employees say that Disney has censored efforts to produce LGBTQ-inclusive content and are demanding that the animation studio’s parent company counter anti-LGBTQ legislation like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill with action “beyond the ‘inspiring content’ that we aren’t even allowed to create.”
In a statement to Disney leadership obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, an unidentified group of LGBTQ employees of Pixar and their allies called out Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s staff memo addressing the company’s public silence around Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Specifically, the group is demanding that Disney stop funding politicians who support HB 1557/SB 1834, which would ban the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade by school officials and third parties, and allow parents to sue districts over alleged violations.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
Released after Chapek’s meeting with shareholders Wednesday, the statement argues that even as employees have attempted to make inclusion a bigger focus in their work, Disney corporate has “shaved down to crumbs” what representation they are allowed to put forth. “Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.”
A Disney rep did not immediately return a request for comment. But in a communication shared after Chapek pledged during the shareholder meeting to donate $5 million to LGBTQ organizations and meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis about the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content, Peter Rice, said, “The law is a new and painful iteration of a history of discrimination against an already vulnerable group. Personally, I see this law as a violation of fundamental human rights, and I condemn any attempt to marginalize individuals on the basis of their identity.”
“I appreciate that Bob recognized that we must do more to support the LGBTQ+ community,” he added.
In the memo, Chapek told staff that the company stands with its “LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and their communities,” but that corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds and can “be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change” because they “are often weaponized by one side or the other.
“Because this struggle is much bigger than any one bill in any one state, I believe the best way for our company to bring about lasting change is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create, and the diverse community organizations we support,” he continued.
The statement that fictional inclusive content could counter political legislation has been a particularly sore spot for LGBTQ employees of the company, including Pixar staff, who wrote, “Even if creating LGBTQIA+ content was the answer to fixing the discriminatory legislation in the world, we are being barred from creating it. Beyond the ‘inspiring content’ that we aren’t even allowed to create, we require action.” The unsigned letter goes on to state that despite Disney’s claim that it supports inclusive content, it has in some ways only recently begun to show support for the community.
“Monday’s email, ‘Our Unwavering Commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community,’ rang hollow. It began with the claim that Disney has a long history of supporting the LGBT community, but Disney Parks did not officially host Pride until 2019, in Paris alone,” the statement says in regard to Disney Parks’ Pride and LGBTQ-inclusion efforts.
The Pixar employees statement goes on to challenge Chapek’s memo claim that statements “do very little to change outcomes or minds,” citing Disney’s recent statement on Ukraine. “Eight days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Disney paused the release of theatrical films in Russia and announced, ‘We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation.’ Following the siege on the capital in 2021, Disney stopped all political donations to members of Congress who had objected to the presidential election results,” the statement says.
It additionally addresses Disney’s 2016 stance on Georgia’s controversial Religious Liberty bill, in which the company, then headed up by Bob Iger, declared it would “plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law.”
The group ultimately says that Disney making public statements has changed the outcome of legislation in the past and if “Disney is true in its values, it will take a decisive public stand against the discriminatory legislation” not just in Florida, but “similar bills in South Carolina, Arizona, Virginia and Tennessee,” as well as transphobic legislation in Texas, Iowa, Utah, Kansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri and Alabama.
The statement from Pixar employees follows a statement from the Animation Guild denouncing Disney’s lack of public response around the Florida bill as well as the Human Rights Campaign refusing Disney’s pledged donation, made during the company’s shareholder meeting Wednesday.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Solve the daily Crossword
