Disney can’t stop complaining about its rivalry with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.
But can it really be considered a rivalry if DeSantis is the one doing all the winning?
And now America’s Governor just handed the Mouse another L by ending this woke policy beloved by the giant corporation.
Don’t cross DeSantis
Two of the biggest names in Florida right now are “DeSantis” and “Disney.”
Those two names have been in a heated political war in the Sunshine State for the better part of the past year.
When the Republican-controlled Legislature in the Sunshine State passed the Parental Choice in Education Act last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis eagerly signed it into law.
The bill barred any teaching of sexually mature subjects to students in kindergarten thru third grade.
It also had protections for parents, forcing schools to alert them in cases such as pregnancy or gender identity changes.
The media labeled the common-sense legislation the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Disney Corp. was one of the many who distorted the truth of the bill and tried to get it killed.
And they’ve been regretting it ever since.
DeSantis vs. Disney
Disney’s stock tumbled like Goofy down a ski slope since picking the woke side of this debate.
Subscriptions to Disney+ are down and so is attendance at Disney theme parks.
Walt’s old company was even forced to change CEO’s after Gov. DeSantis convinced the state legislature to take away Disney’s self-governing status in the state – costing them untold millions of dollars.
In effect, DeSantis is now Disney’s landlord.
And landlord DeSantis is now celebrating another victory over his foe.
No more DEI at Reedy Creek
As part of taking away Disney’s self-governing status, DeSantis replaced the entire board of trustees that control the Reedy Creek Improvement District – the land Disney operated on.
And that new DeSantis-backed board of trustees just threw out one of Disney’s long-held woke policies.
The Federalist is reporting the new board of trustees has axed diversity, equity, & inclusion requirements for contract bids within the district.
“The so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives were advanced during the tenure of the previous board and they were illegal and simply unamerican,” Glenton Gilzean, director of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, said in a statement. “Our district will no longer participate in any attempt to divide us by race or advance the notion that we are not created equal.”
This will be a big change of pace at Reedy Creek.
According to the Federalist, an investigation by DeSantis’ board found the Disney board “routinely awarded contracts based on racially and gender driven goals to businesses on the basis of their owners’ race and gender.”
The investigation also determined the Disney-approved board had implemented quotas based on DEI factors “to ensure that contractors met a certain threshold of diversity.”
But no more under the new DeSantis board of trustees controlling Reedy Creek.
The war between DeSantis and Disney couldn’t possibly be more one-sided.
