On June 27 Disney’s board unanimously voted to extend CEO Bob Chapek’s contract by another three years until 2025. “The board has full confidence in him and his leadership team,” Disney’s board announced on Wednesday. (Despite the fact that he/they helped set gay rights back in Florida 40 years.
For those of you who aren’t in the know Disney’s CEO Bob Chapek and Disney remained silent during the weeks and months leading up to the passage of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Law. Disney and Chapek would not take a public stance on the bill that harkens back to the era of Anita Bryant when homophobia and hate ran rampant in Florida. And to make matters worse, it was discovered that Disney had also donated to many of the Florida Republican politicians responsible for the heinous law. “Bob is the right leader at the right time for The Walt Disney Company, and the board has full confidence in him and his leadership team,” board chair Susan Arnold said of the vote.
Some hypothesized that Chapek gets to remain simply because there’s no immediate alternative while a lengthy hunt would also hurt the company. Others think it’s because of metrics like subscriptions and park attendance are likely superseding everything else. And that is what’s pushing Disney to extend his contract despite the massive harm caused to and blowback from the LGBT community.
Where’s Mary Poppin’s when you fucking need her?
You can read a recap of Disney’s Don’t Say Gay Debacle at the following links.