The Walt Disney Company’s response to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill, which critics named the “Don’t Say Gay” law, recieved strong reactions from on-screen Disney stars. The bill, known as HB 1557, was signed into law by Florida Governor Ron Desantis on March 28, 2022 and goes into effect on July 1, 2022.

It’s goal is to restrict classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender-identity. Desantis said in a Miami Herald Article that the goal of HB 1557 is “to provide protection for parents and enforce parents’ rights over the education of their children to prevent a trend of “sexualizing children,” that he claimed is running rampant in other states.” In protest of Disney’s inaction, hundreds of Disney employees were reported to have staged a walkout from Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, Calif., on March 22, according to CSNBC.

Raven Symone, star of the Disney channel hit “Raven’s Home” spoke out via social media in response to the Florida law. A March 22 clip from Raven’s Instagram showcased the former “That’s So Raven” star encouraging viewers to “support, support, support” the movement to block the legislation. Besides Symone, other Disney Stars including Kerry Washington from Cars 3, Frozen’s Josh Gad, and Cheaper by the Dozen’s Gabrielle Union took to other platforms such as Twitter to express their support against the bill.

Washington posted a Tweet expressing her support for the walkout, saying, “I don’t condone the actions or inactions of Disney at this moment. I wholeheartedly support the LGBTQIA+ employees, and stand with them in this walk out today. Please know that you matter. Your rights matter. Your voices matter. I encourage you all to help their voices ring louder today.” In addition, Gad tweeted “To all of my friends in the LGBTQ community & those under the wide and diverse Disney banner, I love you. I stand with you and I have your back. Everyone should feel heard, safe & protected.”

Union, whose stepdaughter is transgender, mentioned at the premiere for her remake of Cheaper by the Dozen, “We need to own that if you truly are taking stands against hate and oppression, you should not fund hate and oppression. Period.”

Santa Monica College (SMC) students also spoke out against the legislation. Holden Douglas, who is a Santa Monica College (SMC) Sophomore and Media Studies major felt that, “Certain discrimination happens in America because there’s a higher authority who wants to show what they can do.” Holden praised the leading figures of the walkout, saying “Certain figures such as actors and celebrities walking off set in response to an anti-LGBTQ+ act such as this one shows how powerful their voices can be. This goes to show that these celebrities are able to take a stand and make their case stronger.”

Regarding the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Dr. Yamissette Westerband, an SMC Gender Studies Professor and faculty advisor for SMC's Gender Sexuality Alliance Club said “This type of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination is terrifying in many ways since it is an attempt to move backwards." Dr. Westerband went on to say, "Histories have been silenced and since our society has made progress, this type of act makes it now feel like we’re being policed.” Like Holden, Westerband applauded the work of activists, saying “Social media as well as walkouts to fight this legislation show that society has the power to fight back, and political voices are strong enough to resist this.”

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