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Recently, Disney employees, actors, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other supporters gathered their disapproval of the company's response to the Don't Say Gay' bill.
On Tuesday, March 22, the brand's Burbank studio in Florida saw a group of protestors assembled, holding signs and calling out slogans such as "Disney, say gay! We won’t go away!" and “We are queer! We are here!”
From Twitter and Instagram to in-person protests, people spoke up on the matter.
Several Hollywood stars such as Oscar Isaac, Mark Ruffalo, Raven-Symone, and Ethan Hawke did not shy away from speaking their minds about Disney's latest role in the controversy.
Several protestors stated that their superiors were largely in favor of the strike. Many meetings had to be postponed in order to support the protest. During the protest, many even stated it was critical for Disney to discontinue sponsoring Florida representatives who backed the bill limiting gender identity and sexual orientation.
Moon Knight star Oscar Isaac comments on Disney's Don't Say Day bill controversy
In a virtual junket on Tuesday, March 22, Oscar Isaac, who features in the forthcoming series titled Moon Knight, spoke out on the issue. Breaking into a song, he told Variety,
"I guess my comment would be: gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gay gayyyyyy!"
He added,
"It’s an absolutely ridiculous law. It’s insane. It’s insanity. And I hope that Disney as a company comes out as forcefully as possible against this idea. It’s astounding that it even exists in this country."
Celebrities who spoke out on the Don't Say Gay bill controversy
Celebrities such as Ethan Hawke, Mark Ruffallo, and other A-listers took to their social media accounts to speak out on the matter.
In comparison to Isaac's comments, Hawke did not comment on the details concerning the bill or the controversy surrounding the brand's response to it, saying that he is not educated enough to speak on the matter. However, the Before Sunrise actor did manage to share his insight on the significance of LGBTQ representation in popular media.
He said,
"My life’s work is dedicated to creating empathy. I feel the power of stories that we tell each other. If you tell the truth about human experience, you invite empathy. And the more places we shine light, the less dark places there are, and there’s less to be afraid of. And the more we understand each other’s experiences, the more humanity we find in them, and the better we all actually feel. So that’s my job, and that’s what I believe in."
Amongst other stars were Larry Wilmore, producer Pilar Savone, actor Kerry Washington, and writer Raamla Mohamed, who shared their thoughts.
Kerry Washington shared an individual post on her official Twitter expressing her thoughts and love towards the community and all employees.
Marvel's The Hulk star Mark Ruffallo retweeted Kerry Washington's post.
The walk-out seemed to be a successful one, with people rushing for support both online and in person. Everyone's waiting for Disney's response to the protest in hopes that the brand will finally speak up for its employees and the LGBTQIA+ community.
