Lawmakers in Georgia have ripped into Disney recently for choosing to film its newly produced film “Mulan” in China. Disney chose China over Georgia, saying that it was boycotting the state’s Heartbeat abortion law bill which it passed on May 7, 2019.
“With a low cost of doing business, incredible natural resources, and a highly skilled and motivated workforce, Georgia remains the choice location for television and film production,” Georgia Governor Brian kemp said in a statement recently. “We will continue to compete globally for these projects that invest in local communities and employ thousands of hardworking Georgians.”
Numerous companies threatened to pull business from the state of Georgia last year after the state legislature brought up the Heartbeat bill. Several other companies including Netflix and the NCAA threatened to pull business and sporting events from the state.
Georgia’s heartbeat bill prohibits doctors from performing abortion services after a heartbeat is detected, which usually occurs after eight weeks of pregnancy.
“I don’t see how it’s practical for us to continue doing business,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a 2019 interview with Reuters, referring to the Heartbeat bill. There have been an estimated 300 films produced in Georgia, with the latest stats available.
China is a country that still requires forced abortions and an estimated 1 million or more Uyghurs have been imprisoned as part of a crackdown on its minority populations.
Senator Kelly Loughlin, said in a statement to the Daily Caller, “I’m extremely disappointed that Disney has chosen to partner with, even thank, the Communist Party, as part of their most recent film production, Xinjiang, and China’s disgraceful history of human right’s violations, free speech suppression, and even genocide should be denounced vociferously- if not applauded.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed the bill into law, despite the numerous threats of boycotts in May 2019.
