Their family have pledged $500,000 to a LGBTQ+ advocacy group
An heir to Walt Disney’s wealth has come out as Transgender whilst apologising for their silence on Florida’s controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.
Charlee Disney, a 30-year-old biology teacher, was thrust into the spotlight after their father, Roy P Disney, the great-nephew of Walt Disney, publicised their gender identity.
Charlee came out to their family four years ago and goes by they/them pronouns.
At the time, Roy and his wife Sheri had pledged to match donations of up to $500,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, America’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
“Equality matters deeply to us especially because our child, Charlee, is Transgender and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community,” wrote Roy P Disney in an appeal to the group.
“I have a Trans kid, and I love my kid no matter what,” Sheri Disney said, according to the LA Times.
This all comes in response to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill which seeks to criminalise teaching young kids about the LGBTQ+ community.
“I feel like I don’t do very much to help. I don’t call senators or take action. I felt like I could be doing more,” Charlee said. “I had very few openly gay role models.”
They continued: “And I certainly didn’t have any trans or nonbinary role models. I didn’t see myself reflected in anyone, and that made me feel like there was something wrong with me.”
Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been under considerable pressure since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill on March 28.
Chapek initially refused to get involved – but after a staff walkout and a massive amount of social media pressure, he agreed to donate $5m to Human Rights Campaign.
Related links:
- Trans cyclist Emily Bridges banned from championship after calls for female athletes to boycott
- Boris Johnson says ‘biological males’ should not compete in female sports events
- Joe Rogan accuses trans swimmer Lia Thomas of ‘an assault on women’s sports’
