Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is facing a new setback in his battle against the Walt Disney Company after the latter fought against his restrictive policies with two major initiatives.
For one, according to Inside the Magic, Disney will host the annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit, which describes itself as "the largest LGBTQ+ conference in the world." The Summit, according to its website, "brings together executives, ERG leaders and members, and HR and DEI professionals and experts -- all working for LGBTQ+ equality." The Convention will occur at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, from September 11 to September 14. In addition, it was announced last year that Disney World would be hosting this year's annual "Gay Day" celebration, also in September.
Furthermore, per BBC, DeSantis's plans to revoke Walt Disney World's special district status may be in jeopardy. In February, as part of the ongoing feud between DeSantis and Disney, DeSantis signed a bill passed by the Florida State Legislature revoking the self-governing status Disney World has had since its inception in 1971. The law would also require the area to fall under the legal jurisdiction of the state of Florida and would officially abolish the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney has used to run the site since 1967. Instead of dissolving the district, DeSantis announced he would rename it the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, whose board would be picked by the governor rather than Disney.
Disney Cites King Charles III in Florida Legal Battle
However, the day before the new board was to take control, the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Disney signed an agreement that enacted so-called "restrictive covenants," which cite King Charles III. These covenants would limit the Improvement District's governing power over Disney properties like Disney World. The agreement said that if a perpetual term is deemed invalid, another so-called "royal lives clause" would be used instead.
Now, the board picked by DeSantis says that its authority has been all but neutered due to these restrictive covenants. These "royal lives clauses" have existed in legal documents since the 1600s, though they are rarely found in the United States. The board has hired lawyers who are currently fighting to resolve the matter.
Disney and Governor DeSantis Clash on Gay Rights
Disney and DeSantis, a high-profile governor widely expected to throw his hat into the 2024 Republican presidential primaries later this year, have been engaged in a public feud since early 2022. At that point, DeSantis was championing the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act -- also known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill -- which he signed into law in March 2022. The bill prohibits instruction in public schools regarding sexuality or gender identity, which is not "age appropriate" for children in grades K-3. DeSantis recently proposed expanding this law to cover students in all grades, including high school seniors.
After some silence, which resulted in protests from Disney fans and employees, Disney publicly opposed the bill. It is widely speculated that DeSantis, who has labeled Disney a "woke" corporation, signed the bill repealing Disney World's special status in retaliation for its opposition to the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill.
Source: Inside the Magic, BBC