Conservative Cast Members Describe Disney’s Toxic Work Environment, Call for Unity

It is no secret that The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) has gotten more and more “progressive” over the years and that the far-left contingent has gotten more and more vocal culminating in situations like the planned walkouts, Chapek’s coercion to denounce Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education Bill,” and the initiative “Reimagine Tomorrow” which prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion.

But what about the other Cast Members? What about the conservatives and those who wish the Mouse House to remain politically neutral? Well, apparently, it has not been great at all. In fact, they have been all but hiding in plain sight, keeping their heads down and mouths shut. But now, they have issued an open letter which was first shared by The Daily Wire.

The letter–which you can read in full by clicking here–begins with the following:

As employees of the Walt Disney Company, we believe in the dignity of all people. This is why we do what we do. We write stories. We make costumes. We act in parades. We run cruises. We stream movies. We make magic. We do this because our work contributes to a fountain of wonder that inspires joy, awe, and delight in guests and audiences of all ages. We are proud employees of the Walt Disney Company. We love our jobs because we get to share the wonder of life and human experience with millions of people worldwide.

However, over the last few years, one group of cast members has become invisible within the company. The Walt Disney Company has come to be an increasingly uncomfortable place to work for those of us whose political and religious views are not explicitly progressive. We watch quietly as our beliefs come under attack from our own employer, and we frequently see those who share our opinions condemned as villains by our own leadership.

The anonymous Cast Members go on to elaborate on the suppression of those differing political and religious viewpoints, saying those who don’t stand with the politically aggressive are called bigots by their fellow employees. Speaking of the Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, they said, “the tomorrow being reimagined doesn’t seem to have much room for religious or political conservatives within the company.”

Related: Bill Fighting Disney’s ‘Woke’ Cast Member Training Makes Progress

These Cast Members saw Hamilton and The Mandalorian as refreshingly unifying examples of content that everyone could enjoy, and they still view Disney storytelling as second to none. They have kept their heads down to avoid conflict but only to see the conflict starters being rewarded. They see the increasing politicization of Disney as damaging to the brand and morale of employees, saying:

Employees who want TWDC to make left-wing political statements are encouraged, while those of us who want the company to remain neutral can say so only in a whisper out of fear of professional retaliation. The company we love seems to think we don’t exist or don’t belong here. This politicization of our corporate culture is damaging morale and causing many of us to feel our days with TWDC might be numbered.

Furthermore, as this politicization makes its way into our content and public messaging, our more conservative customers will feel similarly unwanted. You can only preach at or vilify your audience for so long before they decide to spend their money elsewhere.

Above all else, these outspoken Cast Members see Disney as “an objective good in a dark world.” Disney Parks and Movies can still be salvaged as places of unity and, “When Disney takes sides in political debates, they deprive the world of a shared love we all have in common.”

And they cite CEO Bob Chapek’s original statement about his silence over the Florida Bill, agreeing that political statements do very little except weaponize and further inflame.

The letter concludes with the following:

Disney shouldn’t be a vehicle for one demographic’s political activism. It’s so much bigger and more important than that. More than ever, the world needs things that we can unite around. That’s the most valuable role The Walt Disney Company could play in the world at this time. It’s a role we’ve played for nearly a century, and it would be a shame to throw all of that away in the face of left-wing political pressure. Please don’t let Disney become just another thing we divide over.

It is difficult not to see The Walt Disney Company becoming a theater of a culture war, as both Cast Members and fans fight over something they all love dearly.

But Disney Cast Members are the everyday Disney Magic Makers whether one is visiting the Disneyland Resort in California; the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, or Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, or any other Disney Park or Resort Hotel around the world. They also make the magic happen behind the silver and small screens, whether it’s bringing one’s favorite Disney Character to life or adding another branch of the Star Wars universe or Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fans can–and will probably always be–divisive on the magic. That’s just what fans do. But if there is division and even ousting and suppression happening among the Disney magic makers themselves, that is a very worrisome problem. As the world returns to post-covid normalcy–act least in policies–one can only hope that the return of that in-person interaction in a Disney Theme Park helps reignite that unity.

Only time will tell if Mr. Chapek can stand up to the challenge and make the necessary changes it needs.