Gabrielle Union’s outspokenness continued to make headlines. The actress is notorious for saying it like it is and recently called out Disney for their silence surrounding a Florida bill that prohibits education of orientation for children in kindergarten through third grade.
Union is the stepmother of trans influencer Zaya Wade. She and her husband, Dwyane Wade, have been heavily criticized for the way they have championed Zaya’s transition, and not everyone likes how the couple has allowed her to make what many consider to be life-changing decisions at such a young age. Understandably Union would support the education of gender identity at an early age since she and Dywane experienced the benefits of Zaya having the vocabulary to address it early on.
The parents have heavily credited Zaya with schooling them and helping them understand her journey so that they could best support her. These days, Zaya is the poster child for healthy trans family dynamics and teens in the media. Gabrielle union currently stars as the matriarch in Disney’s Cheaper by the Dozen reboot, but she’s not sure for how much longer. She has been heavily critical of the company’s silence following the signing of the Parental Rights In Education bill last year by Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis. Many were upset with Disney for not standing up for the community they so often support in their films and media.
Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek is said to have apologized to Disney staff in an internal email, but many feel the apology came too late. This includes Union, who believes her character Zoey Baker might get taken off the show due to her being so outspoken about the company’s late response. “They might [end] my character in Cheaper by the Dozen,” she told the Keep It podcast.
Fans in the comments seem to be on board with the bill and had some words for Union. “Why would sexual orientation ever be discussed before 3rd grade in the first place ??? Like … let kids be kids 🙄,” said one person. “These kids don’t know how to write in cursive but let’s make sure they know about gender identity,” another user stated.
