Now dreams can come true for gay and lesbian couples who wish for a fairytale wedding. Disney, Orlando, has announced it will lift its long-term ban on gay and lesbian couples accessing the theme park’s ‘fairytale wedding package’.
Until now the Walt Disney Company policy restriction meant gay and lesbian couples missed out on the chance to arrive at their wedding in a horse drawn Cinderella carriage and were unable to hold any events on location in the magical surrounds of the theme parks. Disney only allowed gay and lesbian couples to hire meeting rooms in neighbouring hotels and resorts.
The Company has also backed away from any suggestions that the reversal of the policy was an attempt to bank on the pink dollar, despite the ceremonies costing upward of $US8,000 and the high end option costing $US28,000 – meaning that with only one ceremony per week the company could net $US1.5million in a year.
‘Our guest service evolves with the changing times; we are now extending the availability of our wedding packages to all people. We think this change is consistent with our overall policy of providing a respectful and inclusive environment for all of our guests’ said Jacob DiPietre spokesperson for Walt Disney World.
After 17 years of it’s highly successful ‘Gay Day’, Disney, who has in the past faced strong criticism for its anti-gay policies, has been congratulated by United States gay lobby group the Human Rights Campaign for creating as more inclusive environment,
‘When an iconic company like the Walt Disney Company recognizes the value of treating all customers fairly, gay or straight, it reaps the benefits’, Lobby President Joe Salmon said.
The policy reversal comes in the face of an ongoing struggle in the worldwide for relationship recognition for LGBTI couples. Last year the Bush Administration in America moved to institute a constitutional amendment that would quash attempts by gay couples to access marriage, and John Howard moved to limit access to marriage to a man and a woman.
Ghassan Kassiseih from the NSW Gay and Lesbian rights lobby has also come out in support of Disney’s decision, saying,
‘If Disney can handle Cinderellas and Snow Dykes, perhaps its time for our government to follow the lead by giving same sex relationships the formal recognition they deserve’.
After conducting Australia’s largest ever consultation on relationship recognition, the lobby has stated that the LGBTI community ranks symbolic and social value of acceptance as the third most important benefit of legal recognition, paving the way for an ongoing campaign for legal recognition in Australia.
While the controversy plays out in legislatures, gay couples can, for the time being, be whisked into the new Disney wedding opportunities by a horse-drawn Cinderella carriage, dine on the finest food and exchange vows in an exquisite castle. It seems Disney has been gay all along.
