Marvel has spoken out to ‘strongly denounce’ a controversial new bill which has been passed by US politicians.
The legislation, which has been nicknamed the ‘don’t say gay’ bill, has been passed by Republicans in Florida, limiting teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity to young children in the state.
The superhero franchise shared a statement ‘proudly’ standing with the LGBT+ community in the wake of the bill being passed.
Marvel Studios said: ‘We strongly denounce any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.
‘Marvel Studios stands for hope, inclusivity and strength; and we proudly stand with the community.
‘Today, we pledge to continue our strong commitment as allies who promote the values of equality, acceptance and respect.’
Their statement comes after The Walt Disney Company, which owns Marvel, was criticised for not using its influence in the state to try and quash the bill.
Disney’s chief executive Bob Chapek later apologised for the company’s silence on the matter and suspended their political donations in Florida earlier this week.
Florida’s controversial Parental Right in Education bill, which has been nicknamed the ‘don’t say gay’ bill, restricts schools in the state from teaching students about sexual orientation and gender issues, with teachers potentially facing lawsuits if they fail to comply.
Republican politicians argues that it should be down to parents, not teachers, to educate children on gender issues during their formative years.
The text of the legislation states: ‘Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through [third grade]’ or ‘in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards’ in other grades.
It adds that parents ‘may bring an action against a school district to obtain a declaratory judgement’ and they may be awarded damages and legal fees if it is found that a school violated the bill.
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