At Disney’s shareholder showdown this week, conservative hardliners got a hard reality check — and a glittery one at that. A proposal to pull Disney out of the Corporate Equality Index — the go-to report card for LGBTQ+-inclusive workplace policies — was crushed with only 1% support.
The anti-DEI proposal, pushed by the National Center for Public Policy Research, aimed to yank Disney from the Human Rights Campaign’s benchmark system, painting diversity as a “destructive” corporate stance. The group whined about “extreme positions” and the so-called alienation of investors. But Disney’s board wasn’t buying it — and neither were the shareholders.
“The vote gives us a clear statement of values,” said Eric Bloem, VP of corporate citizenship at the HRC Foundation. “Despite the growing politicization of DEI and workplace inclusion, leading global businesses remain committed to the belief that a welcoming, inclusive environment drives innovation.”
Disney, which has flaunted a perfect CEI score since 2007, stayed firmly planted on the side of inclusion. Let’s be real: it’s not just pixie dust that keeps the Mouse House magical — it’s the people behind the scenes, many of whom are LGBTQ+.
Queer Rights at the Heart of Corporate America
The vote signals that, despite recent rollbacks from companies like Paramount and Google, Disney isn’t willing to cave to right-wing pressure. It’s a refreshing twist in a landscape where corporate cowardice has become too familiar.
Still, not all Disney headlines have been golden lately. The company was called out for scrapping a minor trans storyline in Pixar’s Win or Lose, and fans were less than thrilled that Lilo & Stitch’s drag-loving Pleakley had his fabulous flair erased from the upcoming live-action film.
But this vote? It was loud, proud, and clear. Even if the parks sell mouse ears, they’re not about to sell out the LGBTQ+ community.
In a year when DEI programs have been axed from the U.S. military and other major companies have folded under political pressure, Disney’s move matters. It says: inclusion isn’t a trend — it’s policy. It’s about people. And in a world that’s watching, Disney just told the haters to take several seats.
For LGBTQ+ workers across the country, especially those in the often-hostile environment of corporate America, that message is more than symbolic. It’s a stand. And it matters.