The
Vanity Fair article I just read was the last I'll read on this topic - I can't read anymore about this because it just makes me feel gross. His "apology" is gross, the acknowledged behavior is gross, the fact that it went on for however long that it did without anyone putting a stop to it or telling him to keep his hugs/kisses/comments/hands in check is gross. The lack of comment of any substance from Disney is gross.
Sadly, it's no different than (apparently) any other job in a "brass ring" setting ... there are only so many opportunities to work in fields like those, and when you give up so much of your life to get there you don't want to be the one to blow the whistle when something is wrong or you're put in a position that makes you uncomfortable - it's either deal with it and try to make the best or quit and pursue something else.
A person should never have to accept unwanted behavior in the workplace, public situation or even in private if it's unwanted. If I don't want someone to hug me or touch me or make comments about my boobs or what I'm wearing or kiss me on the cheek(s), I shouldn't have to accept it just because "Oh, that's what he ALWAYS does! He doesn't mean anything bad by it!". That's unacceptable.
But unfortunately, we live in a time where full-time jobs with things like decent pay, good benefits, annual raises, paid vacation, opportunities for upward growth and other value-adds are hard to find, let alone keep (be it layoffs, staff attrition, conversion to automation, outsourcing, etc.) and people fall into the trap of keeping silent and dealing with toxic behavior because it's possibly the only way to keep their livelihood.
It's all just so gross. Pixar knew the workplace culture was toxic for years ... I have to believe that all the way up the ladder at Disney had an inclination as well, but just turned a blind eye because it wasn't losing money and they weren't facing lawsuits, or the "hush money" to prevent lawsuits hadn't reached a critical-mass dollar figure. I feel badly for other writers and animators that will possibly lose opportunities as minorities to tell stories and present works from a minority angle because of a potential bad box-office return for "Coco" - but the fact that they have to put all their chips on the success of ONE movie to possibly open doors for them in the future with not only Pixar but other studios is yet another indictment of the toxic, white-washed Hollywood culture.
Personally, it very much changes my attitude towards Disney as a whole and will greatly impact my upcoming plans and spending behaviors at WDW.