Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

[Dustysage]

San Diego resident, Wil Kenney, has received a formal apology from the Walt Disney company after a harrowing evening with security and the Anaheim police at Downtown Disney (at the Disneyland Resort).

Mr. Kenney claims he was harassed by Anaheim police and Disneyland security because Mr. Kenney was holding another man's hand.

Mr. Kenney, along with two other same-sex couples and their children, were walking through the Downtown Disney district on Saturday when Disney security detained them and called Anaheim PD. Mr. Kenney claims that he was forced face-first into a wall and forcibly frisked, searched, and interrogated in front of hundreds of people in Downtown Disney.

At the time, Disney security claimed that Mr. Kenney threatened them with a fire arm. However, after finding no weapons on Mr. Kenney or anyone else in his party, Anaheim PD left the scene.

Rob Doughty, who is head of Disneyland's gay group and a vice president of communications for Disneyland, says the whole incident was a misunderstanding that had nothing to do with Kenney's sexuality. "Our policy is, "everyone is welcome," Doughty says. "If a same-sex couple wants to hold hands at our park, that's fine." Doughty says that the Disney Company will not not tolerate homophobic behavior from its cast members, as Disney is a very welcoming company.

[DisneylandFan1997]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

This Is Very Sad And To Think That Gay Days Is Right Around The Corner!

[QuietViolet]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

...

[MaryAnn in Wndrlnd]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

...

For real.

[Lighthope]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Mr. Kenney claims he was harassed by Anaheim police and Disneyland security because Mr. Kenney was holding another man's hand.

Mr. Kenney, along with two other same-sex couples and their children, were walking through the Downtown Disney district on Saturday when Disney security detained them and called Anaheim PD. Mr. Kenney claims that he was forced face-first into a wall and forcibly frisked, searched, and interrogated in front of hundreds of people in Downtown Disney.

At the time, Disney security claimed that Mr. Kenney threatened them with a fire arm. However, after finding no weapons on Mr. Kenney or anyone else in his party, Anaheim PD left the scene.

Kenney claims that he was detained because he was holding another guy's hand. That's his side. What did Disney security say he was detained for?

Don't forget the alleged threat Kenney made about having a fire arm. If he did in fact make that threat, then small surprise he was forced against a wall, frisked, and interrogated. Both security and police would have been derelict if they hadn't done that.

The bottom line is that we do not know why Kenney was detained. The post does not tell both sides. Therefore, no one should make any judgements as to who was in the right or wrong on this incident.

Lighthope

Pearls of Wisdom - Diplomacy: Saying "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.

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[Crazy Legs]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Wow I am so surprised. This is very disheartening.

[Imagineer1985]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

I have seen hundreds of Same-sex couples holding hands throughout Disneyland, during my time working there. There is always two sides to each story

[Dustysage]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Disney security claimed that he made a gesture with his hands that led them to believe he had a firearm. But Disney management was not pleased with how security handled this. There is a reason they issued an apology.

[bluejake01]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Disney security claimed that he made a gesture with his hands that led them to believe he had a firearm. But Disney management was not pleased with how security handled this. There is a reason they issued an apology.

The thread title is misleading at best. Disney apologized for the misunderstanding..rightfully so...but...they did not apologize for an "antigay incident". No such incident happened in my opinion...just a misunderstanding. The whole article is a little more illuminating as to just what occured.

[quasimodo1384]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

The thread title is misleading at best. Disney apologized for the misunderstanding..rightfully so...but...they did not apologize for an "antigay incident". No such incident happened in my opinion...just a misunderstanding. The whole article is a little more illuminating as to just what occured.

The misunderstanding is thinking that we have any idea as to what happened. Unless any one of us were there, then we don't. Forming opinions based on nothing is the misunderstanding here. Maybe the security personnel were out of line, maybe they weren't. Either way, unfortunate situation...

[bluejake01]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

The misunderstanding is thinking that we have any idea as to what happened. Unless any one of us were there, then we don't. Forming opinions based on nothing is the misunderstanding here. Maybe the security personnel were out of line, maybe they weren't. Either way, unfortunate situation...

I don't doubt they were out of line...it's the reasons that are in question, and based upon my knowledge of Disney policies, training, and gay friendly attitudes I HIGHLY doubt the incident was based on sexuality. That is a fairly educated and reasonable opinion...not wild conjecture. I stand by my opinions.

Not only that but the apology isn't for engaging in antigay practices. The apology is for the misunderstanding. Disney has not admitted fault for an antigay incident, or that one even occured...so to say they apologized for an antigay incident is misleading.

[quasimodo1384]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

I don't doubt they were out of line...it's the reasons that are in question, and based upon my knowledge of Disney policies, training, and gay friendly attitudes I HIGHLY doubt the incident was based on sexuality. That is a fairly educated and reasonable opinion...not wild conjecture. I stand by my opinions.

Not only that but the apology isn't for engaging in antigay practices. The apology is for the misunderstanding. Disney has not admitted fault for an antigay incident, or that one even occured...so to say they apologized for an antigay incident is misleading.

Obviously it was being made an issue by someone, or it wouldn't have been brought up. All I'm saying is we don't know, and on that we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[bluejake01]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Obviously it was being made an issue by someone, or it wouldn't have been brought up. All I'm saying is we don't know, and on that we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Yes we will, since I see no where in the reports that the issue of sexuality was brought up by ANYONE...'cept the guest who, after that fact, is playing the "gay card". This is nothing more than public grandstanding designed to incite bad press and push Disney into a lofty out of court settlement. I am a member of the GLBT community and this kind of incident really upsets me. Instead of tackling real issues and calling attention to real violence and discrimination against people who are "different" than the status quo, they are going to create a media circus and attack one of the most diverse and progressive companies in the world...way to go.

[Dustysage]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

I see no where in the reports that the issue of sexuality was brought up by ANYONE...'cept the guest who, after that fact, is playing the "gay card".

We'll be hearing more about this one. There are Disney cast members who are very upset with how security handled these guests - especially considering the reasons that they took such action.

What I am encouraged by is that the Disney Company does not tolerate such behavior and is willing to defend their policies. I'm waiting to see who gets shuffled or fired as a result of this.

[HSM Fan]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Me too.

[bluejake01]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

We'll be hearing more about this one. There are Disney cast members who are very upset with how security handled these guests - especially considering the reasons that they took such action.

And what reason would that be, pray tell?

From what the security team says they were responding to reports of threatening gestures, and a CM thought they saw a gun. In a crowd it's hard to tell sometimes when someone makes any gesture what the intent is. They detained the party in question and it was the Anaheim PD that man handled and searched the party in question. It was not Disney Security. How else should it be handled if a CM reports thinking they saw a gun? What else was Disney to do in a situation where thousands of people could have been in danger? It's a misunderstanding and Disney apologized...so unless I see some hard evidence that the CM made a fraudulent report simply to slight a homosexual family, then I stand firmly by my opinion in this case.

I do not deny that in any company there are bound to be homophobic or intollerent people, but the scale of this supposed conspiracy is mind boggling. I would have to believe that a CM called security and said "I have gays over here", to which they respond by running over and detaining innocent people that had done nothing but walk around holding hands. The police were called with some fabricated story thought up on the spot by the reporting CM and security. I have to also believe that this behavior pattern managed to not have repeated it's self EVERY SINGLE time that this CM has seen a same sex couple walk hand in hand...an event I have engaged in the parks, and I see countless times a day.

Security did what I would expect them to do if they are tipped off that someone might have a gun. Kudos to a quick response by them and the PD. They put their lives on the line daily for the safety of strangers.

IF..and it's a huge stretch of the imagination...IF the CM fabricated the story then shame on them, and I hope it comes to light so they can be dealt with. I believe the corporate face of Disney is playing it safe and issuing a general apology. The misundersatnding should be apologized for, but it's hard to call this an anti-gay incident, considering the source of the accusation has not claimed he was the victim of any slurs or even a mention of his orientation. He is just claiming that it must be because he is gay that he was detained. It couldn't possibly be that a CM misinterpreted a playful hand gesture in a crowd of people...no, no...it MUST be simply because he was gay...seriously...c'mon

[Rex Dopey24]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Yes we will, since I see no where in the reports that the issue of sexuality was brought up by ANYONE...'cept the guest who, after that fact, is playing the "gay card". This is nothing more than public grandstanding designed to incite bad press and push Disney into a lofty out of court settlement. I am a member of the GLBT community and this kind of incident really upsets me. Instead of tackling real issues and calling attention to real violence and discrimination against people who are "different" than the status quo, they are going to create a media circus and attack one of the most diverse and progressive companies in the world...way to go.

Too me it doesn't sound like he is playing the gay card. He's just telling it like it is. But we may never know for sure.

[bluejake01]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Too me it doesn't sound like he is playing the gay card. He's just telling it like it is. But we may never know for sure.

Since he has not made an accusation that they used slurs or bigoted comments about his sexuality, then he is making the claim that he was targeted for his sexuality based on...what exactly? Sounds like he's playing the "gay card" to me.

[Rex Dopey24]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

The only thing that matters is the company apologized to him.

[IMAGINE]

Re: Disney issues apology for antigay incident at Disneyland

Im sure it was a misunderstanding upon both parties, the incident has occured and the apology has been issued... case closed