Marvel, Disney join fight against anti-LGBT bill, to boycott Georgia if bill is passed
Marvel and Disney film studios will boycott the US state Georgia if an anti-LGBT bill passes. The film studios that produced and distributed “Captain America: Civil War” have threatened never to shoot projects in Georgia if Governor Nathan Deal signs the controversial religious freedom bill.
“Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law,” a rep from Disney told Mashable in a statement.
As Mashable noted, Georgia was where “Captain America: Civil War” and “Ant-Man” were shot. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is also shooting at Pinewood Studios, outside of capital Atlanta.
Last month, Georgia’s Senate passed an amended version of House Bill 757, adding the Pastor Protection Act, which would allow religious leaders to refuse to perform same-sex marriages, and the First Amendment Defense Act, which would apparently allow tax-funded groups to deny services to the members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.
The legislature recently passed the bill, sending the piece of legislation to Governor Deal to approve or to veto.
Critics of the bill calls it discriminatory to the LGBT community and are urging Deal to veto it. However, its advocates think the bill would protect their religious freedom, which they believe is violated when people are forced to provide services for same-sex weddings.
Apart from Disney and Marvel, the National Football League (NFL) also threatened to boycott Georgia if the bill is made into a law.
“NFL policies emphasis tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or any other improper standard. Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites,” a statement from the NFL reads (via WSBT).
AMC Networks also took a stand against the bill, urging Deal not to sign it. Its popular “The Walking Dead” show is filmed in the state.
Tech giant Apple, which supports jobs for 44,000 people in Georgia, recently asked Deal to “veto the discriminatory legislation headed to his desk and send a clear message that Georgia’s future is one of inclusion, diversity and continued prosperity.”
Some CEOs of companies have spoken out against the bill, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, SecureWorks’ Michael Dell and Intel’s Brian Krzanich.
