Menu

Bigots Block Disney Guests From Seeing Popular Merchandise

Mickey Mouse poses in his Pride merchandise on Main Street in Disneyland
Credit: Disney

For more than 30 years, members of the LGBTQ+ community have been heading to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California for the unofficial “Gay Days.” They would wear red, representing their community and the reason for their visit, and the group would get together for photos, ride attractions, and just have a great day full of happiness and create lasting memories.

Disney still does not sponsor Gay Days, but the company has embraced the crowds (and their wallets), which have grown to tens of thousands. They have also embraced Pride Month, selling specialty food and merchandise. In 2023, Disneyland Resort even hosted its very first Pride Nite, which was an absolute hit.

Disney Pride Nite

Credit: Disney

Related: The History of Walt Disney World’s “Gay Days”

Disney’s decision to support the LGBTQ+ community and even celebrate it has not sat well with some of its more conservative fans and theme park guests. Most of them either don’t visit the parks during Pride Month or Gay Days, or just simply ignore the guests celebrating and the merchandise being sold.

However, one guest decided to take their disapproval to the next level, shocking others in visiting The Happiest Place on Earth.

Reddit user FleshyPartOfThePin recently visited Disneyland and was taking a look at all the incredible pins they could purchase. They realized that a number of pins were turned around, so guests could not see what they were.

A store employee and two young girls look at a display board in a brightly lit shop filled with colorful Disney pins. The shelves on the left are stocked with several organized rows of pins. The store has a colorful tile floor and wooden shelves and structures.

Credit: Disney

When the OP (Original Poster) began turning the pins around, they realized that the unknown guest had turned around all the Pride-themed pins. OP was shocked and disappointed that someone would be so bigoted to take the time out to do that.

Warning: Harsh Language

So there I was, browsing the pin section in the main store behind the dioramas (the Emporium), and I noticed that a section of pins had been turned around so you couldn’t see them or what was behind them. They were the Disney pride pins. Some asshole had gotten so offended that Disney would support pride that this bigot turned around the front pin on every individual pride pin so that you couldn’t see what it was or what was behind it (without looking from the side). I loudly announced “What kind of bigoted asshole does this shit”?

Anyways, that’s my story. Some bigot was so offended by LGBTQ people existing that they had to obscure pins to the rest of the public. Sad, but that’s the fucked up world we live in.

Edit: I also did turn around the pins.

I don’t actually remember if I said asshole or shit, but the point is I was trying to call someone out. I curse like a fuckin’ sailor and always tone it down when there are kids around. But it was 11pm so who the fuck knows. If you’re clutching your pearls over a few curse words, reconsider your priorities and kindly go fuck yourself.

I’m also not LGBTQ. Just a dude who stands up to bigots.

Additional edit because I think it’s an important point:

Look at all the idiots who have thought I posted this as some sort of pat on the back of myself. To those idiots: look at the title of the post. Look at what I originally wrote. Look at my ending sentence prior to my edits. I wrote one sentence about my own actions. The post was about someone else’s bigoted actions. I’m glad people are glad that I stood up for something but I really was just calling attention to the fact that there are bigoted shitheads who do this.

Bigots Didn't Like the Pride Pins Yesterday
byu/FleshyPartOfThePin inDisneyland

Related: Fans Protest Disney Park’s Early Closure for Pride Events

Commenters were just as shocked as the OP that someone would actually take the time out of their day to turn around the pins. One former cast member even shared that some guests would constantly complain that Disney would participate in Pride Month and support the LGBTQ+ community.

When I worked there many years ago, folks would complain every year on Gay Day only to be horrified that a very, VERY large percentage of CMs identified as LGBT because Disney was one of the first employers to offer health benefits and adoption assistance to unmarried couples.

Disney Pride Event

Credit: Disney

One person pointed out that those guests might be shocked to learn that one of the key Imagineers who helped bring Disneyland Park to life is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Disney Legend Bob Gurr was a close friend and colleague of Walt Disney, and the two worked closely on the creation of many iconic attractions.

Throughout his storied career with Disney, Gurr helped design some of the most recognizable rides and attractions in the parks. Many of them are still at Disneyland today and have inspired other attractions at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney, Hong Kong Disney, and Shanghai Disney.

Gurr is responsible for creating nearly all of Disney’s ride vehicles, including the Disneyland monorail, the Autopia cars, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Main Street vehicles, and the Haunted Mansion Doom Buggies.

Bob Gurr

Credit: Bob Gurr Facebook

Related: At 90 Years Old, Former Imagineer Bob Gurr Still Knows How to Shake and Shimmy

Despite the overwhelming support from commenters, Disney has not always been as supportive of its LGBTQ+ cast members as some would hope. When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Parental Rights in Education Bill — also called the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” — now fired CEO Bob Chapek called the bill “irrelevant” to Disney. That comment spurred walkouts and protests from thousands of Disney cast members.

Chapek was fired in November 2022, and just seven months later, Disneyland hosted its first Pride Nite, which was attended by California Governor Gavin Newsom. The event was such a success that it returned this year, and guests are hoping it will remain a part of Disneyland After Dark events for years to come.

Do you think guests who are offended by Disney’s Pride merchandise should continue to visit the parks? Let us know in the comments. 

About Krysten Swensen

A born and bred New England girl living the Disney life in Southern California. I love to read, to watch The Golden Girls, and love everything to do with Disney and Universal. I also love to share daily doses of Disney on my Disney Instagram @BrazzleDazzleDisney!

2 comments

  1. Everyone who has the time, the money and the desire to see disney should go if they so choose but if so many things in life offend you then maybe don’t go. Life has a way of offending everyone and if you live your life imposing your views on everyone else maybe stay home. Life should be full of color and varied view points so you can learn and understand other people’s experiences that are not yours and disney is full of colors and fantasy that all should see and enjoy. As I have seen on here from multiple articles that bigots come from all sides of the aisle so just live and let live and much like when watching TV when you don’t want to watch something change the channel and go on with your life.

  2. First and foremost, why are you publishing such vulgar language from someone who obviously can not express themselves without using childish language. Second Mr Gurr is a great person and to my knowledge never forced his sexual preferences on anybody, like what that community dose today. Bottom line, this guy is upset that someone does not agree with him. And resorts to degrading, vulgar language and name calling.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.