GOP senators want TV rating warning for gay characters on children’s shows
DeSantis: Disney 'crossed the line' over so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about Disney's opposition to the Parental Rights in Education bill, also labeled by critics as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill, calling their efforts to repeal the bill as "crossing the line." The governor, who was speaking about a lawsuit filed by the state over a mask mandate on planes, called Disney's actions hypocrisy.
WASHINGTON - A group of Republican senators is asking the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board to update its rating system to warn parents if a show contains an LGBTQ+ character.
Senators Roger Marshall, Mike Lee, Mike Braun, Steve Daines and Kevin Cramer signed and sent the letter to the board’s chairman Charles Rivkin on Wednesday. The senators have asked Rivkin for a response by May 18 and an in-person meeting with the board.
"In recent years, concerning topics of a sexual nature have become aggressively politicized and promoted in children’s programming, including irreversible and harmful experimental treatments for mental disorders like gender dysphoria," the letter reads.
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"To this end, we strongly urge you to update the TV Parental Guidelines and ensure they are up-to-date on best practices that help inform parents on this disturbing content," it continued.
The senators pointed to Karey Burke, president of Disney’s General Entertainment Content, saying she supports having "many, many, many LGBTQIA+ characters in our stories."
Video of Burke’s remarks were posted on Twitter.
"This radical and sexual sensation not only harms children but also destabilizes and damages parental rights," the letter continued.
The senators also called out Disney for going against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after he signed a bill into law that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, a policy that has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who argue it marginalizes LGBTQ people.
Florida removes Disney's special powers: DeSantis to sign repeal
The Florida House has passed the bill to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which gave Disney special status over 50 years ago, allowing it to act as its own government on company property. The move comes amid Gov. Ron DeSantis' very public battle with the Walt Disney Company over support for the so-called "Don't Say Gay" Bill, which DeSantis signed into law last month.
The Walt Disney Company, a powerful player in Florida politics, suspended its political donations in the state, and LGBTQ advocates who work for the company criticized CEO Bob Chapek for what they said was his slow response speaking out against the bill. Some walked off the job in protest.
After DeSantis signed the measure, Disney released a statement saying, "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that."
The TV ratings system was adopted in conjunction with the so-called V-chip, which is required in all TV sets built since 2000 and allows parents to block programming they deem objectionable by rating.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.