Last year, several conservative media stories went viral after it was alleged that EPCOT cast members at Walt Disney World Resort were given the opportunity to wear pronoun-defining pins on their uniforms. The rumored introduction of Disney pronoun pins sparked a significant amount of controversy within the Disney community.
These pins, designed to allow individuals to display their preferred pronouns, have ignited debates on social media and beyond. Despite the intention being to promote inclusivity and respect for gender identity through these pins, they have been met with mixed reactions from the public over concerns about their appropriateness for a children’s theme park environment.
This past year, the pronoun pin argument has mostly died down. However, the guests’ recent ambitions to bring back the practice have once again raised eyebrows on the subject.
Related: Disney Removes Gender-Specific Pronouns and Language In Parks
Are Pride Pronoun PINs Back?
Some individuals welcomed the introduction of pronoun pins as a positive step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive environment at Disney parks. They see these pins as a way to signal support for the LGBTQ+ community and to normalize the practice of sharing preferred pronouns. By wearing these pins, guests and cast members can express their gender identity and feel more comfortable in their own skin while visiting the magical world of Disney.
In fact, Disney representatives have openly supported guests wearing these pronoun pins as well. One cast member writes:
“A visit to Walt Disney World is always magical, but enhancing your tour with the proper use of pronouns through pins is a brilliant idea. I love it!
High school English teacher here, so accurate pronouns are near and dear to my heart. I am SO glad that you asked.
Wearing a “he/him” pronoun pin so that Cast Members see it will surely help avoid those mixups, so have fun with it! Perhaps add your favorite character to the pin, or even have a few on hand that coordinate with your park of choice each day. (Okay, that may be me, coordinating character attire to park, but it’s what I do. I love that part of planning. 🙂 )
As another option when you head to The Most Magical Place on Earth, you can visit any Guest Relations desk at a park or Disney Springs or go to Front Desk Services at any Walt Disney World Resort Hotel and ask for a Celebration button. The Cast Member assisting you can write “he/him” on the button, and Cast Members throughout the parks and resorts are used to spying those particular buttons to pack Guests’ visits with even more personalized pixie dust. Easily locate those Guest Relations locations by using the super-handy My Disney Experience mobile app. “
Critics Push Back Against Pronoun Display
One guest recently took to Facebook to bring up the idea of making pronoun pins to pass around the parks. They said:
“Hello good people!I really like the concept of pixie dusting. We went on a Disney cruise in November and hid a bunch of ducks. It was delightful.My question is: If I make a bunch of pronoun pins with my button maker and have my cute “ask me” button on the back of my bag… (*Edit due to lovely responses! Yes. I want to make a “free pins!” Or “free pronoun pins” something along that line. )Do you think people would legitimately ask for them if we were just standing around in line? Do I post them on our resort door?I am afraid people will think I am pandering for monies.SECOND EDIT: Now that we know that copyright law shouldn’t be messed with and my design down below is flying too close to the sun. I made some pronoun badges with doodles.I would make my doodles cleaner / legible. You get the idea.
THIRD EDIT: I turned off comments since I got some AMAZING and wonderful feedback. A few comments were devolving into some arguments. But I have enough feedback to make some cute little pins! Thanks!THANK YOU AGAIN for all your help!
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However, not everyone is on board with the idea of Disney pronoun pins. Opponents of the pins argue that they are unnecessary and even divisive. Some guests feel that pronoun pins draw unnecessary attention to gender identity and could potentially create uncomfortable situations. In the comments of this post, dozens of people simply respond “no” to this idea.
The controversy surrounding Disney pronoun pins highlights the ongoing conversation around gender identity and expression in public spaces. While some see them as a positive symbol of inclusion, others view them as a contentious issue that raises questions about the appropriate ways to respect and acknowledge gender identity in a family-friendly environment like Disney parks.
As the debate continues, Disney is faced with the challenge of balancing the diverse perspectives of its guests and employees while upholding its values of diversity and inclusion. What do you think? Do pronoun pins have a place at Disney?
