Disney Shifts Culture War Into Overdrive, Begins Distributing 'Gender Affirmation' Info for Children: Report
Conservative activist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute Christopher Rufo reports that Disney has taken their support for the LGBTQ community up a notch by offering a new benefit that will assist employees and their minor children with “gender affirmation procedures.”
Rufo posted a video, presumably recorded during an internal company meeting, as the Disney logo and the words “reimagine tomorrow” would suggest.
In the video below, an employee is heard introducing this new benefit: “The other big area is gender identity and expression, so doing all of this work to ensure that our employees and cast can express their gender here authentically and proudly at the company.”
“So, you know, coming up with guides on how to change your photo, information about pronouns, working with our benefits team to give information about gender affirmation procedures both for our employees who are transitioning and trans, but also our employees who have kids who are transitioning.”
NEW: Disney has adopted a benefits program to assist employees and their minor children with “gender affirmation procedures.” This type of treatment typically includes puberty blockers, breast removal, and genital surgeries for “kids who are transitioning.” pic.twitter.com/a2zSSboe0S
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) April 7, 2022
Disney’s employee benefits program is administered by Fidelity Investments, which has posted additional information about “Gender Affirmation Coverage” online.
This coverage will apply to “two populations,” according to the document. “For adults (age 18 and over), covered procedures and services include breast augmentation/reduction, chest contouring, hair removal/transplantation, facial feminization surgery, genital implant or prosthesis, rhinoplasty, trachea shave/reduction, and vocal surgery/speech therapy.”
“For adolescents (younger than age 18), coverage may include puberty-suppressing hormones, for those who have reached a certain stage of sexual development, under direction of an experienced pediatric endocrinologist.”
As off-putting as this new benefit sounds, apparently many large companies already include this in their benefit packages.
So… it’s great to attack Disney and all, but the list of companies that already offer this type of thing is loooooooong. What about these companies? https://t.co/hUEVfPITH1
— Len L (@LenInMaine) April 7, 2022
Disney’s opposition to Florida’s passage of the Parental Rights in Education bill — which critics disingenuously call the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — recently drew national attention to the company. The bill essentially bans instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to students in kindergarten through third grade and places restrictions on what is taught to students in grades four through six.
After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the legislation, Disney CEO Bob Chapek issued an apology to his employees for not being a “stronger ally” and said this legislation was “yet another challenge to basic human rights,” according to WKMG-TV in Orlando.
He also said the company would “pause” all political donations in the state.
Next, Disney issued a statement that said the company’s goal was “for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts” and that it would help to make that happen.
Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS
— Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022
It baffles me that a company whose business is to provide entertainment to children would go to such lengths to oppose this law. Multiple polls show that even a majority of Democrats support it.
The Western Journal reported on three such polls earlier this week.
A Public Opinion Strategies poll conducted in late March found that among likely voters, 55 percent of Democrats, 58 percent of independents, 70 percent of Republicans and 67 percent of parents supported this law.
A second poll of “701 likely Democrat primary voters in Florida” conducted in the middle of March, “commissioned by Floridians For Economic Advancement and conducted by Alvarado Strategies,” asked if they supported classroom instruction about sexual orientation for students in kindergarten through third grade.
Fifty-two percent replied either “somewhat” or “definitely” not; and only 36 percent indicated either “definitely” or “somewhat” yes. Twelve percent were undecided. And this was a Democrat-only poll.
The article cites another poll that produced a similar result.
Perhaps I am extreme, but I so disagree with Disney’s woke turn that I will not patronize them and I’m surely not alone. Other conservatives, independents and perhaps even some Democrats will boycott the company over their political activism. They may ultimately feel the effects in their bottom line. I can’t imagine too many of their shareholders think this is a good idea.
But Disney appears determined to die on this hill.
As they say, go woke, go broke.
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