Marvel Studios Comes Out Against 'Don't Say Gay'

Marvel Studios – a subsidiary of Disney that has produced 27 "MCU" films and counting – has come out against anti-LGBTQ+ laws like Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Marvel decried "any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community" in a statement that it released on Twitter, Variety reported.

"Marvel Studios stands for hope, inclusivity and strength; and we proudly stand with the community," the statement continued.

"Today, we pledge to continue our strong commitment as allies who promote the values of equality, acceptance and respect," the studio added.

"Marvel's official words come after a week of controversy surrounding its parent company, The Walt Disney Company, and its initial lack of public response against Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' legislation," Variety noted.

Disney became embroiled in controversy when its contributions to all of the GOP Florida state lawmakers behind the controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill made headlines.

The bill, Variety recounted, "would limit discussions regarding gender identity and sexual orientation in educational environments." State lawmakers approved the bill last week, sending it on to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has signaled strong support for the measure.

According to UK newspaper The Guardian, "Disney chief executive Bob Chapek later apologized for the company's silence on the matter and suspended Disney's political donations in Florida earlier this week."

Marvel's statement of support to the LGBTQ+ community trails years of MCU film and television projects in which gay and lesbian storylines and characters have been teased but never materialized, or were left on the cutting room floor. It was only last fall, with the 26th MCU film "Eternals," that an openly gay, and partnered, superhero was introduced.

On the small screen, Marvel delivered a (barely) acknowledged bisexual and gender-fluid character on last year's hit series "Loki."

Meanwhile, Disney continues to grapple with the fallout from the company's early refusal to take a stand, with CEO Bob Chapek eventually offering the rationale that the company could best contribute to "a more inclusive world" by continuing to create "inspiring content."

That hasn't soothed the company's LGBTQ+ employees and their allies. As previously reported at EDGE, animators at Disney subsidiary Pixar allege that Disney executives have demanded trims from "nearly every moment of overtly gay affection" depicted in Pixar's films, "regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar."

"Additionally, a group of Disney employees are planning a week of in-person and virtual walkouts in protest of the company's handling of the situation."

On the other side of the debate, Gov. DeSantis attacked Disney after Disney suspended political donations, declaring Disney to be "woke" and too closely tied to China.

"Disney is in far too deep with the communist party of China and has lost any moral authority to tell you what to do," DeSantis said.

The Florida governor also declared that Florida lawmakers were "not going to allow them to inject transgenderism into kindergarten."

Recent polling shows that "Don't Say Gay" and similar laws are opposed by a majority of Americans, including voters in Florida.