The Walt Disney Company is not playing around.
The feud between Disney and Florida Gov Ron DeSantis has been a point of conversation for a while. Both parties have outwardly expressed their disapproval of the beliefs of the other. Their main disagreement is over Ron DeSantis's "Don't Say Gay" bill, which is a very controversial and divisive bill in Florida. Ever since then, Disney and DeSantis have played a cat-and-mouse game over who can mess with the other the most.
For DeSantis, this meant stripping Disney of its special tax status.
For Disney, it means holding the largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world at Walt Disney World Resort.
Credit: Jonathan Lovitz Twitter
The Walt Disney Company is not afraid to make its stance on gay rights clear. The company, and CEO Bob Iger, have made major efforts to help promote inclusivity and representation for the LGBTQ+ community. Whether it be hosting "Pride" events or speaking out against Ron DeSantis, Disney is committed to doing better.
To help further that commitment, Disney has just announced that they will be hosting a massive conference at Walt Disney World Resort this coming fall. The conference will be for the group Out & Equal. This group's mission is to fight for equitable treatment of LGBTQ+ people within workplaces. On September 11-14, Out & Equal will be holding their 2023 workplace summit at Walt Disney World.
Credit: Out & Equal
According to the Out & Equal website, their annual Summit is "the largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world." The event expects to have over 5,000 attendees every year. Guests include business executives, ERG leaders and members, and plenty of professionals who work in human resources (HR) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Credit: The New York Times
With the announcement of this event, it is clear that Walt Disney World Resort will be full of Pride come September. It can be assumed that Ron DeSantis will not be a fan of the event being hosted at a theme Park geared toward children. It's easy to assume that this move by the Walt Disney Company was a form of retribution towards the Republican governor.