From the Disney Parks Blog and written by: Anthony Armenia
Today marks the first day of Pride Month, and we’re celebrating and recognizing the contributions and stories of LGBTQ+ community around the world. Each year, we look forward to celebrating this month with our guests and cast members, and throughout June, we’re bringing you some of their inspiring stories.
In celebration of Pride and the company’s Pride products, The Walt Disney Company is also giving funds as part of our ongoing commitment to organizations around the world that support LGBTQ+ communities. You can learn more about these organizations at RainbowDisneyCollection.com.
Of course, one of the highlights of Pride Month for me is seeing all of you showcase your LGBTQ+ Pride with our Pride products. To kick off this year’s Pride festivities, I’m pumped to introduce you to one of its original founders: Brian Ng, Product Design Manager for Marvel, who turned his inspiration into creation for this hit collection and continues to help bring it to life each year.
Brian and the Disney PRIDE Employee Resource Group – which advocates for and celebrates LGBTQ+ and ally cast members and works to foster a culture of inclusivity across our business – first proposed the idea for a uniquely Disney Pride collection several years ago. Along with his fellow cast members, Brian conceptualized and established the first collection, which has blossomed into a celebratory symbol of acceptance and love for Disney fans around the world.
“It’s been a privilege to be a part of this journey and see it evolve over the years.” Brain said. “The way that it started, it just happened to be the right time to say, ‘How do we be better advocates?’ and ‘How do we advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in our space?’ For us, in product design, products are our space and that’s where we saw an opportunity to do more.”
This “passion project” for Brian connects his professional expertise with his personal dedication to the LGBTQ+ community. Every year, Brian weighs in on this popular collection before it hits shelves, always keeping fans in mind to design products that are reflective of the community in a thoughtful way.
“Year over year, I think we expand the collection from a product perspective, and we’re always trying to expand representation, while also still doing right by the community and the fans,” Brian said. “It is fun and trending to bring rainbow Pride products to the marketplace, but it means a lot to folks who see a company like Disney say, ‘I see you and recognize you.’”
For Brian, Pride Month is a celebration of embracing who you are. “At the end of the day, I think it’s all about acceptance. It’s about self-acceptance. It’s about being accepted by your loved ones. It’s about being accepted by society,” Brian shared. “It’s really about who you are and how you express yourself and who you love.”
Disney fans worldwide are showcasing their LGBTQ+ pride with the 2021 collection, which features all our iconic brands for the first time. Take a look at some products in this year’s line:
All month, we will be celebrating Pride here on the blog and with experiences around the world. Here’s just a sneak peek at the fun we have planned:
- Be sure to check out the Love, Victor photo opportunity available now at Downtown Disney District, located directly in front of the Downtown Disney Stage near Star Wars Trading Post.
- At Walt Disney World, “Share Your Pride” with your family and friends with unique offerings like Pride PhotoPass experiences – plus retailers at Disney Springs are celebrating the month with exclusive collections that benefit and support various LBGTQ+ nonprofits and organizations.
Follow along with our social handles all month as we bring you even more Pride for all of June! Wherever you’re celebrating, live it up this Pride month!
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