Disney CEO Bob Chapek says he'll meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis to discuss Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill

• Disney CEO Bob Chapek discussed Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill during a recent shareholder meeting.
• He said Disney is donating $5 million to LGBTQ+ groups, and reassessing its political donations.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek has shared an update regarding the company's response to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

During the company's 2022 annual meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, Chapek discussed Disney's achievements from the past year and projects that are soon to come. He also discussed the controversial legislation before taking questions from shareholders.

The bill, which was recently passed by the Florida Senate, bans discussions of gender and sexuality in schools and allows parents to sue schools where staff members hold such conversations, Insider previously reported.

Chapek said that while he's aware "many are upset" Disney didn't publicly speak out against the bill, the company was opposed to it "from the outset."

He also shared Disney's plans to meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and donate $5 million to groups that support the LGBTQ community.

Disney initially stayed silent on the bill, despite widespread criticism and protests being held outside its US theme parks. Many critics were especially disappointed to learn that Disney had previously made political donations to some Florida lawmakers who supported the bill.

"We chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind the scenes — engaging directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle," Chapek said, adding that Disney spent "weeks of effort" privately opposing the bill.

The company then released a statement in response to the controversy, saying that the company's "biggest impact" in "creating a more inclusive world" is via the content it produces. Chapek also said in an internal memo obtained by Insider around that time that Disney "unequivocally" supports its LGBTQ+ employees.

Now, however, Chapek says he plans to meet directly with Florida's governor to continue the conversation.

"I called Gov. DeSantis this morning to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, nonbinary, and transgender kids and families," he said. "The governor heard our concerns and agreed to meet with me and LGBTQ+ members of our senior team in Florida to discuss ways to address them."

When asked by a shareholder what he hopes to accomplish through the meeting, Chapek said DeSantis suggested looking at the legislation together and determining the "specific aspects" that could lead to the bill being weaponized.

"He was very open to this conversation and finding out what aspects are most concerning, and working to ensure that that could not happen in the state of Florida with this legislation," Chapek said of DeSantis. "I was encouraged by that and I look forward to visiting with the governor with a small delegation of cast members who are involved in this movement."

Chapek added that Disney is signing the Human Rights Campaign's statement that opposes the bill and other similar efforts across the nation. He also said Disney is pledging $5 million to organizations "working to protect LGBTQ+ rights," including the HRC.

Finally, the CEO said Disney is "reassessing" its "approach to advocacy," which includes "political giving in Florida and beyond."

"I understand our original approach, no matter how well-intended, didn't quite get the job done," he said. "But we're committed to supporting the community going forward."