Be bold, be brave, be you: The Walt Disney Company celebrates Pride
The Walt Disney Company takes pride in its diverse cast members and its longstanding commitment to equality and respect for those in the LGBTQ+ community. This year, cast have celebrated Pride with a number of exciting happenings all across the world and throughout the company’s many segments.
New merchandise hit shelves and a special collection of rainbow T-shirts, socks, accessories and more can be seen all over the parks, bringing a pop of color with just a touch of magic! Also new this year, Disneyland Paris held its first Magical PRIDE event. The one-night-only event included a parade-style LGBTQ+ Magical March of Diversity, a Disney Magic Lip-Sync-Along and karaoke theatre experience, themed photo locations and more.
Additionally, The Walt Disney Company earned a perfect score of 100 on the 2019 LGBTQ Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. This is the 13th year the company has received this honor, and the report evaluates corporate policies and practices related to LBGTQ workplace equality.
Here at Walt Disney World Resort, we showed our love and celebrated Pride month with a panel held by the PRIDE Business Employee Resource Group. Cast were invited to attend and hear from Justin LaFoe, Sr. Vice President, ParksandDisney Story Merchandise, Lisa Becket, Sr. Vice President, Customer Engagement, and Jim MacPhee, Sr. Vice President, Operations. They shared their personal experiences with The Walt Disney Company’s core values of diversity and inclusion, and explained what Disney is doing to foster a welcoming work environment.
Disney Programs participants were able to show their pride as well this month and support the One Pulse Foundation at the Third Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run! Participants had a wonderful time running the 4.9-mile course, and were awarded special medals designed by Walt Disney World’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group. The front of the medal features rainbow details, and the back is inscribed with “We will not let hate win”, nestled between a pair of angel wings and 49 feathers, in honor of the 49 lives lost during the Pulse nightclub tragedy. This was the first time The Walt Disney Company had ever designed a medal for a race not affiliated with runDisney.
By fostering and understanding fluidity, supporting intersectionality, acting as supportive allies and prioritizing belonging, The Walt Disney Company is taking steps every day to facilitate a supportive workplace for LGBTQ+ cast, and to make our Parks and Resorts a more welcoming place for all! Happy Pride!