Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Chapek on Monday sent a lengthy email to employees to address the concerns of LGBTQ+ staff over the company’s public silence on legislation in Florida that would squelch discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

Disney has not issued any public statements on the Florida legislation, which would forbid school districts from encouraging classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity “in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

Activists describe the legislation as Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has signaled his support of the bill, which has yet to be passed by the state senate.

Some critics have taken issue with Disney’s reticence, considering the company’s significant presence in the state and its past willingness to take a stand on legislation that would affect members of its staff. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando employs tens of thousands of people. The company last year said it was moving 2,000 jobs from Southern California to Florida.

Chapek said in his memo that he met on Friday with “a small group of Disney LGBTQ+ leaders,” for a conversation in which employees expressed “disappointment” by the company’s lack of a public statement. While he described the meeting as “meaningful, illuminating, and at times deeply moving,” Chapek did not commit to taking an aggressive stance on...

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