Disney is ending the use of "ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls" at its theme parks, a company executive said in a video posted on Twitter by writer Christopher F. Rufo.
Vivian Ware, Disney's diversity and inclusion manager, made the remarks in a video call to employees as the company faced pressure to oppose Florida legislation that critics say undermines LGBTQ rights.
In the video, Ware says that has Disney has removed all gendered greetings in live narrations at accompany attractions. Now, it's, "hello everyone," "hello friends" or "dreamers of all ages," she says.
Earlier this month, an employee walkout pressured Disney into opposing the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill, presented by Gov. Ron DeSantis as a parents' rights measure aimed at shielding young children from what some say is sexually inappropriate content in school.
Disney's use of gender-neutral language isn't unique. British Airways and other airlines now have crew members replace "ladies and gentlemen" in announcements with gender-neutral language.
On Monday, after DeSantis signed the bill into law, Disney released a statement slamming it:
"Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country."