Several Republican lawmakers from Florida have condemned Disney's criticism of the "Don't Say Gay" bill and called for a boycott of not only the entertainment giant, but other companies that they consider part of the left-wing "activist machine".
"Corporate America is under this cloak of arrogance where they think they get to play God with morality and sexuality and a host of other realities in this world, and somehow if you don't agree with their interpretation, then you are guilty of some kind of hate speech", Florida Republican Representative Brian Mast told Fox News.
According to Mast, conservatives are better than liberals at avoiding companies that try to undermine their points of view, hinting that Disney's stance might cause a decrease in tourism to Walt Disney World in Florida.
"There's a real conviction to actually boycott companies that try to cancel you on the conservative side", Mast said.
Another Republican lawmaker, Representative Greg Steube, criticised Disney for turning "their family-friendly company into an activist machine that perpetuates a whole agenda of left-wing propaganda".
"What they’re doing is incredibly dangerous as their company is mainly marketed towards families and children", he continued.
According to the GOP representatives, even Disney employees are experiencing pressure because of their views. Some conservative staffers even appear to have penned an anonymous open letter calling for "a politically neutral Disney", slamming the company's response to the "Don't Say Gay" legislation.
"Even their employees have noted Disney doesn’t have room for religious or political conservatives. I hope folks remember that when choosing where to spend their hard-earned vacation funds", Steube noted.
The controversial bill prohibits all discussion of sexual or gender identity in grades pre-K to the third grade. After initially refraining from taking a stance on the legislation, Disney moved to halt its political donations in Florida over the controversy, followed by Marvel Studios later.
Despite the outcry over the bill, it has passed Florida's House and Senate and is now heading to the desk of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who also blasted Disney's stance on the legislation as "woke" and actively endorsed the bill.
LGBTQ+ activists continue to lambast the legislation as potentially infringing the rights of queer people in Florida. The White House also blasted the "Don't Say Gay" as "legislation designed to attack LGBTQI+ kids".