Disney shareholders made a foolish decision last week, rejecting efforts to cut ties with the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and a top LGBTQ+ group, despite the current political climate, and despite the fact that Disney is finally scrapping a lot of its diversity programs in the wake of repeated box office failures and dwindling theme park attendance. This comes as President Donald Trump’s campaign against D.E.I. has intensified, and many corporations are trying to remain in his good graces as well as over half the voters in America.
The new proposals to shift away from DEI focus, and included a measure to probe Disney’s alleged moves to “demonetize platforms, podcasts, news outlets, and others for expressing disfavored political and religious viewpoints” were unanimously recommended against by the board. Only a measly 7% of shareholders voted to approve the proposal related to participation in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and a paltry 1% voted to approve the proposal for a report on requests related to selection of ad buyers and sellers. This means over 90% of Disney shareholders rejected any threat to their embrace of DEI.
Disney’s Senior EVP and Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Horacio E. Gutierrez declared the political items “not approved.” While Disney’s executives may be leaning in the direction of such directives, the shareholders’ rejection of these Trump-tinged measures shows a desire for the company to focus on merit-based decision making rather than getting caught up in the divisive partisan drama.
Disney shareholders are making a very big mistake by continuing to prioritize DEI and “inclusion” initiatives. These kinds of political efforts have already alienated large swaths of their once loyal fanbase, as evidenced by the poor performance of Disney’s theme parks, movies, and shrinking Disney+ subscriptions. By focusing on appeasing a small minority of vocal, left-wing activists, Disney is neglecting its core audience and ultimately harming its bottom line.
Of course Disney still has an audience that ignores the culture wars, and will continue to consume whatever content Disney puts out. Those useful idiots will always be with us. It’s unfortunate so many of them also have become shareholders in the company, because they would be wise to listen to the concerns of its customers, and reconsider its commitment to DEI policies that are driving away normal families.
Instead of bowing to pressure from special interest groups, Disney should focus on creating high-quality, family-friendly entertainment that appeals to a broad audience. Only then can the company hope to regain its footing and restore its reputation as a beloved entertainment giant.
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English (US) · 