Burning Cabins and Rainbow Mickeys: Disney’s Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Controversy and Definitions of America in U.S. Disney Parks

Disney has recently been thrust into the center of contemporary American cultural debates due to the introduction of greater inclusivity in its parks and its public battle with Florida governor Ron DeSantis. The so-called Don’t Say Gay controversy stemmed from Disney’s public opposition to a law central to DeSantis’ platform that limits discussions of gender and sexuality in public schools. This affair reminds us that Disney World is more than a theme park resort; it is a powerful cultural-political icon as well as a mainstay in the economy of Florida. The battle over Disney is a battle over definitions of America. This paper situates Disney’s current controversy within the company’s longer involvement with state-sponsored heteronormative mythmaking and its treatment of queerness within its parks. It also describes the radicalization of the Florida Republican Party and the delicate political position of the Walt Disney Company’s Florida property. This paper argues that the Don’t Say Gay controversy was inevitable due to the role of Disney parks in defining America, the delicate political situation of the Walt Disney Company’s Florida property, and current America conservative reactionary politics.