Walt Disney World Decides Not to Say 'Gay'

Remember when the word "gay" was all the rage among leftists in Florida? When Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and Republicans in the Florida legislature were working on passing the Parental Rights in Education law, the left saddled the legislation with the false moniker of "Don't Say Gay." A dutiful mainstream media followed in lockstep and made sure the untrue nickname stuck.

Sunshine State Democrats ran with the "Don't Say Gay" characterization and used it to beclown themselves. These totally serious ladies were just one example:

We’ve got one thing to say to our GOP colleagues — GAY! pic.twitter.com/AiXzW0chUq
— Florida Senate Democrats (@FLSenateDems) March 7, 2022

Disney also seized on the "Don't Say Gay" phenomenon, and LGBTQ cast members pressured then-CEO Bob Chapek to speak out against the bill — even though there were other vocal cast members who didn't subscribe to the LGBTQ agenda. Disney's meddling into Florida's business led to the state revoking Disney's quasi-governmental authority over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Even though those days were less than two years ago, it still seems like an eternity. Just this week, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley tried to target DeSantis in a GOP presidential debate by talking about the "Don't Say Gay" bill. It didn't end well.

This Christmas, the word "gay" has reared its head in a controversy at Walt Disney World, which of course is located in central Florida. Walt Disney World's four theme parks offer some fun and exciting special holiday content, and Disney's Hollywood Studios has an event called Jollywood Nights that overlays holiday fun over the park's areas. It's a separately ticketed show where the park closes early except for guests who have paid to stay for the event.

One of the Jollywood Nights shows takes place in the park's Hyperion Theater. The show takes its inspiration from old-school Christmas television specials and features Disney characters in Christmas-themed production numbers.

Where does the word "gay" come in? Don't forget that there's a line in the old Christmas carol "Deck the Halls" that goes, "Don we now our gay apparel" — and don't deny that your inner 12-year-old doesn't chuckle when you hear or sing it.

That song pops up in the Jollywood Nights show. Inside the Magic explains where the controversy comes in.

"After Mickey Mouse sang the traditional lyrics of 'O Christmas Tree,' Minnie Mouse began a rendition of 'Deck the Halls,'" so and so writes. "But instead of 'Don we now our gay apparel… Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol,' she sang, 'Don we now our cozy sweaters… I can think of nothing better.'"

Talk about trolling an ancient carol. It's a cheesy line, but I guess Disney thought it was a safe decision to change it. (But you gotta admit, as my friend and colleague Matt Margolis said, "gay apparel" sounds like a Target ad.)

There hasn't been any specific backlash surrounding Jollywood Nights yet, but Inside the Magic reminds readers that there has been controversy before when companies took "gay" out of "Deck the Halls."

"While 'Deck the Halls' uses the 'happy” or “cheerful' definition of the word 'gay,' some LGBTQIA+ activists oppose changing the lyrics to quell backlash," writes so-and-so. "In 2013, Hallmark apologized after writing 'Don we now our FUN apparel' on a Christmas ornament."

Fun Fact: Hallmark was one of the first companies to license Disney characters, and Hallmark founder J. C. Hall was acquaintances with Walt Disney.

It's easy to suspect, after the hits Disney has taken over its wokeness, that the decision to remove "gay" from "Deck the Halls" in the Jollywood Nights show was a deliberate attempt to distance itself from wokeness. But who knows?

Is it a victory for DeSantis and Florida? Maybe, but even if it's not, it's funny that Disney suddenly won't say "gay."