A Disneyland Resort guest is speaking out after a seemingly innocent outfit sparked a “terrifying” interaction with a Disney security cast member. The Disney Park guest, wearing a “That’s So Gay” parody shirt—a reference to the That’s So Raven TV show—was confronted by a security cast member, who questioned the appropriateness of the shirt. The employee reportedly compared the shirt to “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) and “Free Palestine” merchandise.
On Sunday, Stephanie (@stephanielizabeth08 on TikTok) described feeling stunned and hurt by the experience. She and her group were initially stopped by security while entering the park despite having worn the shirt on previous visits without issue.
@stephanielizabeth08 is the word “gay” inappropriate? @Disney Parks my chest honestly still hurts and i feel numb? it’s heartbreaking.. #disneyland #queer #lgbt #wlw
“Is the word ‘gay’ inappropriate?” Stephanie captioned her TikTok post. “@Disney Parks my chest honestly still hurts and I feel numb? It’s heartbreaking..”
In the video, Stephanie recounted the interaction: “I was going through security after parking to get to the tram, and security asked if my shirt was appropriate, or inappropriate because it has the word ‘gay’ on it. We just celebrated Pride Month. There’s nothing inappropriate about the word ‘gay.’”
To her shock, the Disney security cast member likened her outfit to MAGA gear.
“Then they said if that shirt is okay, then MAGA hats and shirts should be okay, which I feel like are the complete opposite of what being gay is and the purpose of the shirt,” she continued. “I feel like I’m trying to be as calm about it as possible, but to liken them to the same thing is terrifying.”
For Stephanie, the comparison was both hurtful and baffling, especially given Disneyland Resort’s recent Pride events and the visibility of LGBTQIA+ culture within the park.
“People are gay,” she said. “Pride is for gay people. Or did we not know that? …I also am with a group of queer women and non-binary people, and they all heard it and they all saw it happen. So it feels like it not only hurt me, but it hurt them.”
Stephanie and her wife Bianca later posted a follow-up video detailing the incident. Both women said they had worn the same “That’s So Gay” shirt on previous visits without issue: “Yesterday was the first and only time we’ve ever been stopped or asked…whether or not our shirt was appropriate.”
@stephanielizabeth08 addressing yesterday’s experience at Disneyland. #disneyland #queer #wlw #disney @Disney Parks
“My big issue is that the word ‘gay’ isn’t inappropriate,” Stephanie added. “People are gay…There were people that were saying, ‘Well it’s because you’re at a children’s theme park.’ But children are gay. I was gay my whole life.”
Bianca added that the security cast member compared their shirt to “Free Palestine” merchandise. Both women felt it was wrong to equate a Pride shirt with the two political messages–for different reasons.
“Taking the word ‘gay’ and equating it to the vile hatred that MAGA itself spews, which is the complete opposite, filled with people who want to strip our gay rights away,” Stephanie said. “And then to also add in Palestine to the mix, which is experiencing genocide, and ‘Free Palestine’ shirts are calling for liberation when MAGA is the epitome of white supremacy…Putting them on the same level is wrong.”
Stephanie tried to keep her composure but struggled with the comparison.
“I was trying not to overreact, but then you keep thinking about it,” she reflected. “They were saying it like it was no big deal, like MAGA is not literally terrorizing communities right now. As someone from an immigrant family…I feel like that was inappropriate.”
The most hurtful part for the couple, however, was being called out in front of other Disney Park guests.
“It felt shameful,” Stephanie admitted. “I was proud to wear that shirt. I want to wear queer merch and Latin merch…To wear something like that and have it be deemed ‘inappropriate’ and then compared to MAGA. It’s like we’re allowed to be gay as long as we’re quiet and not out and proud…We wore these shirts during Pride Month and it was okay. Is it now because Pride Month is over that y’all don’t care anymore?”
Despite the negative interaction, the couple shared that they had received positive attention for the shirt in the past. “
A lot of people understand the shirt,” Bianca explained. “When I wore the shirt in the parks the first time, people were like, ‘Oh, I love your shirt!’…So I don’t think there’s any other meaning to it.”
Stephanie also pointed out the irony of being reprimanded for wearing a Pride shirt that was, in her words, a playful nod to That’s So Raven: “It’s also a play on That’s So Raven, a show that we grew up on and Raven-Symoné is a f**king queer icon.”
Support from Disney Parks fans quickly poured in. Many encouraged them to report the interaction to Guest Relations.
“Hi Disneyland cast member here, and I suggest you go to guest relations and tell them what happened,” @teriyakijen wrote. “We’re taught 5 keys at work and one of them is inclusion. I’m so sorry for your experience.”
“I’m so sorry that this happened to the both of you,” said @larosamiranda99. “As cast members we are taught the 5 keys and inclusion is one of them, this is very upsetting and I really urge you both to go and talk to someone.”
Some users also shared stories of seeing MAGA hats and political outfits in the Disney parks without issue.
“As a former cast member, I’ve seen whole families wearing ‘Go Brandon’ shirts and MAGA hats and when I brought it up to the leads they said it was allowed so… Please file a complaint!” @illbringthecoffee said.
Other LGBTQIA+ Disney Park guests shared similarly disappointing experiences.
“I couldn’t write ‘I’m gay’ on a ‘I’m celebrating’ pin during A PRIDE EVENT last year!!!” @okayitsdestiny commented.
Some commenters argued that the shirt may be inappropriate, but these voices were in the minority.
“It just depends on the context,” @tom_skullture wrote. “If it was just the word itself, it’s ok. But that phrase has been used as a slur/slander for many years. If someone can say it to another person, it’s ok.”
Has Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort security ever questioned your outfit? Share your experience with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
