95% of Faith Driven Consumers less likely to see BEAUTY AND THE BEAST due to gay moment in film

RALEIGH, N.C., March 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC)—representing 41 million Americans who spend $2 trillion annually—has earned wide recognition for its groundbreaking FaithEqualityIndex.com (FEI), which scores more than 500 major brands for compatibility with the FDC community, and also for its Faith-Friendly Film Review entertainment rating system, a key resource for audiences and entertainment industry leaders alike.

Today, the group is announcing research findings on the impact of Disney's decision to include what the film's director called an "exclusively gay moment" in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST—opening in theaters nationwide this Friday—on the Faith Driven Consumer market segment.  

"Disney's decision to celebrate LGBT individuals with an 'exclusively gay moment' in Beauty and the Beast is a testament to the LGBT community's success in advocating for and achieving high-profile recognition of their worldview," said Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer.

"Faith Driven Consumers understand the LGBT community's goal for inclusion by Hollywood and Corporate America. For FDCs this is not homophobia or bigotry. There are many complex realities in the world that Faith Driven Consumers simply do not wish to have addressed with their children via entertainment, especially in a family movie. Beauty and the Beast—previously an acceptable family film—is now being used, as its director proudly revealed, to promote a message that is in conflict with deeply held tenets of Faith Driven Consumers' religious beliefs. This decision by Disney, like so many others, disconnects FDCs—41 million potential movie-goers—from the film, putting Disney and its shareholders at financial risk.

"Entertainment broadly has become highly politicized and sexualized, meant to inculturate audiences. This excludes Faith Driven Consumers who are left with an increasingly limited number of acceptable entertainment options for their families. They want entertainment to remain just that—entertainment.

"Today's striking survey results—expanding upon our substantial body of research—offer further proof that Faith Driven Consumers will respond in the marketplace to signs of welcome, or lack thereof."

FDC's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Research¹

• 95% of Faith Driven Consumers are less likely to see BEAUTY AND THE BEAST due to Disney's decision to include an "exclusively gay moment" in the film.

• 94% of Faith Driven Consumers are now less likely to spend money with Disney as a whole in light of the "exclusively gay moment" in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, coming on top of Disney's long-standing pattern.

• 58% of Faith Driven Consumers think the primary motivation behind Disney's decision to include an "exclusively gay moment" in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was "to normalize homosexuality." 19% think the motivation was "to be intentionally inclusive of LGBT people;" 15% "to reject biblical Christian values regarding homosexuality;" 3% each for "to accommodate LGBT employees at Disney" and "to accurately reflect real-world diversity."

• 87% of Faith Driven Consumers feel that Disney is not equally inclusive of Christians with biblically based values. Only 4% believe Disney is equally inclusive of this community.

• A majority (52%) of Faith Driven Consumers say Disney does not meet their entertainment needs well at all. Another 25% say Disney meets their entertainment needs only slightly well. 5% of FDCs say Disney meets their entertainment needs very or extremely well.

• 62% of Faith Driven Consumers say Disney does not reflect their values well at all. Another 22% say Disney reflects their values only slightly well. 3% of FDCs say Disney reflects their values very or extremely well.

¹ FDC Beauty and the Beast Community Survey by American Insights (2017); 6,700 members of the FDC community surveyed online

About Faith Driven Consumer

Faith Driven Consumer (FDC) is working to achieve marketplace and workplace equality for 41 million consumers who spend two trillion dollars annually. FDC envisions a world of parity for Faith Driven Consumers as an essential color in the American rainbow of diversity. 

Phone: (919) 645-0762
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE Faith Driven Consumer

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