The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has
demoted Fox Corporation from its Corporate Equality Index over Fox
News' coverage of a Florida law dubbed “Don't Say Gay” by
opponents.
Fox Corporation has a 100 percent
rating on HRC's list of top workplaces for LGBTQ equality.
HRC has deducted 25 points from Fox
Corporation's score.
In a statement, Aryn Fields, HRC's
senior press secretary, said that the decision was based on
anti-LGBTQ remarks made by Fox News personalities and contributors in
the wake of passage of “Don't Say Gay.”
“Fox News has a history of sharing
misinformation and disinformation about the LGBTQ+ community,”
Fields said. “We know from our own research, which we put out
earlier this week, what their disinformation and misinformation means
for the LGBTQ+ community: perpetuating stigma and marginalization of
transgender and non-binary people.”
“At a time when transgender people –
especially transgender children – are under attack in statehouses
across the country, rhetoric has real consequences. We can no longer
allow Fox Corporation to maintain it’s score if Fox News
personalities and contributors continue to deny the existence of
transgender people, minimize the violence transgender individuals
face, refer to parents of LGBTQ+ youth as perverts, or equate leaders
of LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion efforts with sex offenders. Each of
these actions happened in the last 72 hours. Enough is enough,” she
said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a
Republican with presidential ambitions, signed House Bill 1557 into
law on Monday.
The legislation prohibits schools for
children in kindergarten through grade 3 from engaging in
“instruction” about sexual orientation and gender identity. It
also restricts the topic throughout the education system and allows
parents to sue school districts.
After The Walt Disney Company came out
against the measure, a number of Fox News personalities and
commentators criticized the company for its position. Some of the
network's on-air talent and guests have also gone after opponents of
the law.
“If you really want to talk to a
5-year-old or a 7-year-old or an 8-year-old about their sexuality and
gender, that's on you,” The Five's Greg Gutfeld said.
“You're a pervert. You're a weirdo. I don't give a damn if you're a
teacher.”