In a move that has alarmed members of the LGBTQ+ community, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has appointed Ron Peri, a known anti-LGBTQ+ activist and conspiracy theorist, to oversee Walt Disney World’s district. This is a newly-created board, and Peri is one of the five individuals handpicked by DeSantis to oversee Disney’s special district. However, his controversial past and views have raised questions about the decision.
Peri has been caught on tape making outrageous and dangerous statements about the LGBTQ+ community. In a Zoom discussion that took place in 2022 and that was posted on YouTube, Peri baselessly claimed that the estrogen found in tap water from birth control pills makes people gay. He also suggested that the same estrogen was contributing to a decline in testosterone levels among men in the US. These claims have no scientific backing and have been debunked by multiple studies.
Peri also referred to being gay as “shameful”, “evil”, and “deviant” in the same discussion. He went on to say that LGBTQ+ individuals “don’t have a stake in the future” because some couples don’t have children. These vile and discriminatory comments have sparked outrage among the LGBTQ+ community, who have pointed out that such beliefs have no place in a position of power overseeing a world-renowned entertainment giant like Disney.
It is worth noting that this appointment is part of DeSantis’ ongoing feud with Disney. The entertainment giant had previously criticized DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, and DeSantis retaliated by approving legislation to strip Disney of the self-governing municipal power it held in Florida for decades. In addition to Peri, DeSantis has also appointed Bridget Ziegler, a co-founder of the right-wing organisation Moms for Liberty, to the board overseeing Disney’s district in Florida. The group has a reputation for fighting against the inclusion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools and libraries, and some members have suggested that queer kids should be placed in separate classrooms.
This latest move by DeSantis has been met with dismay by LGBTQ+ activists, who are concerned about the safety and well-being of members of the community. Many have called on Disney to take action and remove Peri from his position. They argue that allowing someone with such harmful and discriminatory beliefs to oversee a district that includes Disney parks, hotels, and restaurants could put the safety of LGBTQ+ visitors and employees at risk.
