I’ve heard a lot of people recently talking about cancelling their Disney Plus accounts. I’ve also heard some people say that they will never again frequent a Disney park. I’ve seen rumblings around the Internet that Disney’s stock took a little dip this week because of the cancellations from angry parents who are reasonably upset that Disney has loudly voiced their opposition to a bill in Florida (SB 1557) that prohibits sexual discussions (centered on sexual orientation or gender identity) for kids in Kindergarten to third grade.
I’ll say this – the bill doesn’t go far enough. That’s my opinion. I think the platform for discussing sex in school is a pretty narrow one at best anyway, and it’s complicated enough to present sex to kids in the classroom setting without bringing up the man made concept of gender identity (which we discussed last week in detail – check out that article and the history of the term here). Presenting concepts of sex and encouraging children to switch their gender or applaud the idea that they were “born in the wrong body” or have had the “wrong gender assigned to them” at birth is one of the most hateful things I can imagine a trusted adult or teacher inflicting upon a child, and I’m saying this strictly from a secular standpoint. Don’t even get me started on the Biblical standpoint. Again, you can check out my article from last week for how I feel about the gender wars going on in our culture, and what the Bible has to say about it.
Disney, for better or for worse, has left the days of magical, creative storytelling in the past and has instead morphed into a monstrous corporation that exists to peddle globalist propaganda to the masses. Gone are the days of making endearing films like Peter Pan, Tarzan, or Beauty and the Beast. Instead, we are facing the sad reality of a dreamy, once-family-friendly empire that has become a mouthpiece for social justice activists who are hellbent on destroying the innocence of children by introducing them to sexual conversations far before they are capable of processing that kind of information. Children need to be allowed to be exactly that: kids. Innocent, wide-eyed, eager to learn. And yet, as always, children are the victims in the cesspool of social justice experiments. They are preyed upon because they are vulnerable and defenseless, and we live in an age where our federal government has merged with corporations to propagate culturally-evolved ideas of subjective morality and ideologies. We have, indeed, entered the age of the Party, as George Orwell so aptly foreshadowed in his book, 1984.
To me, this is a great tragedy. I was deeply inspired by the rags-to-riches story of Walt Disney growing up. As a young, aspiring author and storyteller, I admired the magic and genius of Disney and the Disney parks. Going to Disneyland, for me, has always been one of the greatest highlights of my life, and I was looking forward to sharing that kind of magic with my daughter, who cheerily claps her hands and sings along to “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Cinderella.”
Alas, it may never be.
Boycotting
My viewpoint on boycotting is multifaceted, but what it really boils down to for me is that I don’t believe it works. I think it’s a nice sentiment, and sometimes, it can send a message, but for the most part, I don’t see Disney backpedaling on their stance to erase gendered terms from their theme parks – or at least not much. I believe Disney has long been entrenched in the agenda to push progressive social justice propaganda to the masses, and they are just carrying out a carefully-executed plan. Disney did not simply become an oligarchic entertainment bullhorn overnight. It has been a slow burn. An erosion of family-friendly values, chipped away, bit by bit, until there is nothing left.
Here’s the reality. Disney will not be hurt by your boycotting. Most people won’t boycott Disney, and your refusal to subscribe to their streaming service should really be about you choosing to do so because you don’t want to expose your child to the content – not because you want to fight back with your wallet.
Please don’t misunderstand me here.
I’m not saying that fighting back with your wallet is a totally useless option. I’m just saying that in this situation, it’s pretty useless. Disney is a protected corporation. They are shielded from blowback and fallout by the media, and they are in bed with the central government. They are reading from the same scripts. They do not have to be held accountable for their actions – and they won’t be. They will continue to make billions of dollars and they don’t care about what you, the parent, wants. They are past that point. They are on a mission. They are working to eliminate traditional family values. They want to redefine cultural parameters of objective reality and truth. And, strangely enough, they are targeting children to accomplish this task.
It makes you wonder…how far have we fallen as a culture to allow the most innocent members of society to be swept up into this mess?
Investment Firms and the Tentacles of Blackrock
Disney is like most other corporations. They are owned and controlled largely by investment companies who play the tune that Disney marches to. For example, Blackrock Inc. owns 114.6 million shares in Disney, Vanguard Group Inc. owns 137.8 million shares, and State Street Corp. owes 75.0 million shares. Disney is not – I repeat – beholden to you as a consumer. They are insulated from failure. They are propped up and controlled by these investment firms, which have very obvious and very evil globalist agendas to push. We are living in a time where the consumer dollar doesn’t mean as much as it used to. Corporations have consolidated their power, and the puppet masters that are pulling the strings are standing just behind the curtain…feeding CEOs like Bob Chapek every word they say. Nothing is accidental. Nothing is a mistake. Everything happens for a reason – and that reason, right now, is so that an agenda can be pushed. In this case, Disney is being used as a trustworthy entity to normalize the perverted sexualization of innocent children.
So, what can we do?
My approach to the boycotting question is simple. I don’t believe it works, because I realize that literally every store in the universe (okay, most stores) are linked to corporations. Target, Walmart, Costco, Savemart, Buy Buy Baby, Bed Bath and Beyond, Lowe’s, Home Depot…everyone is linked to powerful corporate powers and their shadowy, not-to-be-trusted entities. Here’s the issue: you can’t’ boycott everyone. Most Americans could never afford to do that. We rely on corporate retailers to fill our homes with furniture and cookware. We rely on corporate grocery chains to buy food for our families to eat. We shop at Old Navy and JC Penney for clothing. It is not realistic nor is it remotely possible to boycott every chain or box store – nor would it do any good.
Look, it’s not our fault that we were born into a society that has been structured to force us to rely on corporations to live. Everything, everywhere, is connected to a bank, which is connected to devious corporations like Blackrock. You can’t escape the fact that your money – especially your tax dollars – are going to be used to fund stuff you morally disagree with. You can’t’ stop that.
But what can you stop?
My approach is a little more simplified. When it comes to Disney, I ask myself not what Disney is doing (which is disgusting), but what taking my child to a Disney Park (for example) could end up doing psychologically. Can I take my child to Disneyland without exposing her to their gender-bending agenda? Can I hide their agenda to push for the total erasure of biology from her when I walk in the gate? If the answer is no, then I won’t take her to a Disney park. My perspective is all about protecting the mind of my child. I’m far less concerned about hurting Disney financially. Rather, I’m more concerned about being aware of what entertainment companies are trying to push and focusing on finding positive entertainment alternatives for my family instead.
See, I realize that there is nothing I can do to stop Disney’s agenda. They have made their bed, and now they must lie in it. I don’t have to partake, but I don’t have to engage in a boycott movement to do so.
I’ll be honest. I love Disney stuff. I love going to Disneyland. I have wonderful memories of going to the parks when I was a kid, and I always dreamed of sharing that experience with my child, as well. But not at the expense of endangering her innocence.
Will I be cancelling my Disney Plus account? In all transparency, probably not yet. We love watching Cinderella and Zorro and The Liberty Story. We love watching Cars, Toy Story, and Beauty and the Beast. As a parent, I have control over what we choose to watch on the streaming platform, and I honestly don’t think cancelling my account would have any effect whatsoever on what Disney is doing. If you disagree, that’s fine. I’m just being realistic.
Let me put it another way. If you boycott Disney, but you still shop at Target, your protest is pointless. If you boycott Disney but you buy clothes from H&M, you’re supporting a store that pushes the gender agenda just as powerfully as Disney. If you boycott Disney but your kids are in public school…forget about it.
My point is this. You don’t have to boycott Disney; you just have to be a parent.
Parent with intentionality and be informed about why you make the decisions you do. Parenting is about navigating content and protecting your child’s mind from the cruelty and perversion of the world. It’s not really our job to be boycotters (although it makes us feel better sometimes). It’s our job to deftly maneuver around landmines and shield our kids from being exposed to things that they were never meant to be exposed to.
Boycotting Disney is all well and good, but I believe it defeats the purpose. We’re parents. We’re in control. We don’t need Disney to entertain our kids. When we watch Disney in our home, we watch older Disney movies and leave it at that. I choose films with good motivational themes that showcase characters overcoming adversity or showing compassion and kindness to their friends. I couldn’t tell you about Disney’s newest content, because I don’t know. I won’t lie. I enjoy watching Marvel movies like Captain America or Iron Man or throwing it back to the original Star Wars: A New Hope.
And sure, if I feel like the content that is accessible on Disney Plus becomes so insanely agenda-driven that I just can’t stomach it, I’ll cancel it. But I don’t have to cancel it to be a good Christian or to give a single finger salute to the establishment.
They already know how we feel. They don’t care.
My encouragement to you would be to simply use discernment in the realm of entertainment. What can you watch with your children that is safe and appropriate? Will you be able to handle taking your children to a Disney park if Disney can’t even use the words “boys” or “girls?” That’s a decision you need to make as a parent, and if the Bible is the lamp unto your feet…the decision shouldn’t be difficult.
Find alternative entertainment options and vacation destinations. There are many places to see in the world and lots to learn. Disney does not have the monopoly on wonder and awe. God does. His world is vast and full of mystery and intrigue. And hey – if your kids do end up going to Disneyland for Grad Night when they graduate, instead of getting angry about it…maybe you can use it as a way to have a conversation with them about the pros and cons of Disney’s policies and stances. Like Hillary Morgan Ferrer says…chew, and spit. Chew and process the good, and spit out the bad.
Protect your kids. Make wise entertainment choices. Find alternative vacation destinations.
But don’t make the mistake in thinking that boycotting a dynastic company like Disney really has any big effect. I don’t believe it does.
What does have an effect is the intentionality and the love and the values that you pour into your kids’ hearts. Focus on that. And hey - if you really want to cancel your Disney account forever, go for it. At the end of the day, the bottom line for today is this:
Know thy enemy.
They are much bigger than you realize, and we would be better off fighting for legislative change and getting involved in the civic process in our counties and states than worrying about what Mickey Mouse is doing to push the gender agenda in America. Eventually, the pendulum may swing in the direction of a much more conservative and therefore more reasonable entertainment landscape, but until then…
Focus on parenting.
Resources
Here is some extra information for you to dig into if you’re interested in learning more about Blackrock, as well as some alternative vacation and entertainment ideas for those who are determined to swear off Disney completely. Again, I want to make clear that I am not criticizing anyone for doing this. I think Disney does deserve to be taken to task for their insane grooming-friendly agenda. The point that I’m making here today is that our middle-class wallets have about the same effect on them as throwing spitballs at bulletproof glass. Disney is too powerful and too protected to care. Instead, let’s focus on raising healthy, happy children and training them up in the truth of the Word of God.
Blackrock and the Great Reset (Ep. 470 Relatable)
Investopedia breakdown of Blackrock, Vanguard, and more
Boycotting Disney (This is a different perspective than mine - this author believes a boycott will work, and I wanted to include his article here because I thought it was also very insightful. I am always open and eager to include other theories and perspectives on subjects like this!)
Family-Friendly Entertainment Destinations
Disney Park tickets are increasingly expensive. In fact, the average family pays an estimated $5,000 to visit the parks (based on travel sites like The Disney Journey and Get Away Today). That same amount of money will go a lot farther somewhere else!
The Creation Museum (a sister attraction to the Ark)
Dollywood in the Smoky Mountains (I have heard a lot of people say that this is a great, family-friendly amusement park)
The San Diego Zoo (An overall clean, incredible experience for all ages)
The Freedom Trail (Boston, Washington D.C., Virginia, etc…what an amazing experience to share with your family - visiting the birthplace of America!)
Basically anywhere in Florida that’s not Disneyworld, because Gov. DeSantis has made Florida the freest state in the Union. Kick your shoes off and relax on the beach.
National Parks - take your pick. Whether it’s Zion, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or Yellowstone, the most incredible places in the world are the natural, breathtaking views chiseled by God’s own hands.
Family-Friendly Streaming Options
Minno - a streaming service where “God is real.” Your kids can tap into shows like Veggietales, 3,2,1 Penguins! and What’s in the Bible?
Pure Flix - stream thousands of faith and family-filled movies and shows from the comfort of your home
VidAngel - I personally think this is a great idea. VidAngel connects to your streaming accounts and scrubs your movies and shows clean of profanity, graphic sex, and gory violence. Enjoy movies without the Hollywood-style gunk.
DVDs - If you really love Disney movies and you just can’t deal with subscribing to Disney Plus anymore, I hear ya, friend. Consider purchasing standalone DVDs of the films you know your child will be able to watch. Classic movies with good stories and good lessons. There’s nothing wrong with going a little retro and throwing things back to the good old DVD player.