It’s not that often that a “fairy-tale” wedding becomes a chef’s kiss example of irony, but when it comes to Ron DeSantis‘ picture-perfect nuptials, even the paleo-conservative Florida governor himself has to own up that the situation is probably the perfect example of the term. What could be more ironic than for the closest thing the Walt Disney corporation has to an arch-enemy to have gotten married in one of Disney World’s most popular chapels?
DeSantis and Disney have been intertwined in the news for some time now due to the conflicts between the governor’s anti-LGBTQ stances and the corporation’s stance on Florida’s now-infamous Parental Rights in Education Bill legislation, a.k.a the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which forbids teaching or discussion regarding sexual orientation and gender identity to students in kindergarten through third grade, and only allows post-third-grade discussion of said matters if they are “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate in accordance with state standards” — a nebulous definition at best, and one easily used by the state to forbid any conversation at all.
When Disney came out against the bill last Spring, DeSantis struck back by revoking tax privileges for Disney — the largest employer in the state — and followed up with a threat he fulfilled this Monday, when he signed a bill that gives him control of Walt Disney World’s formerly self-governing district — a major victory for the Republican governor and rumored presidential hopeful.
It also means DeSantis now controls the government services of the Disney hotel where he was wed fourteen years ago. And some social users are calling it the biggest GOP gaffe since Rudy Giuliani’s post-election press conference at the “Four Seasons” (a location that turned out to be a landscaping company, and definitely NOT the luxury hotel chain).
The DeSantis wedding was held at Disney’s Grand Floridian’s wedding pavilion, a location that features spectacular views of Disney’s iconic brand symbol, Cinderella’s Castle, as well as Disney World’s Seven Seas Lagoon. The reception was held at Epcot Center. Apparently, DeSantis was not at all offended by the company’s LGBTQ-friendly policies at the time — although the governor did expressly forbid any Disney characters from attending the festivities, according to Business Insider‘s transcript of DeSantis’ interview with conservative SiriusXM Patriot radio.
Some are couching the governor’s stances in harsher terms than “ironic,” implying that his current vendetta with the company is hypocritical at best, and vote-gathering posturing at worst. Many have criticized DeSantis’ stance, and even some moderate conservatives have voiced concerns over actions that could compromise the immense economic advantages Disney brings to the state.
And some avoided politics altogether. One Twitter user implied that DeSantis’ Disney vendetta may be due to simple buyer’s remorse.