Don’t do what what you want to do is what this boils down to for you.

No, it really doesn't. "Be respectful of other's schedules" is what it boils down to.

I do like movies but fuck you if you think I’m going to take a day off for that.

You scheduled a day off. What you do with it matters not a lick to your employer. In fact, your employer is not legally allowed to ask. Everybody volunteers - there's a real whipped stepchild vibe that comes from decades of shitty work culture but "I'm taking PTO friday" is all you need.

And you know what, I’m managing multiple people with young kids right now and I’m on the other side of this equation where days and hours are all over the place while they handle childcare and the like, and am often rescheduling meetings and work because of that. Would you fire them?

No. Childcare is not optional. No one is choosing for their kid to get sick. You are choosing to not be there on Friday - which is great! - but you are then choosing to be there after all. So rather than everyone in your workgroup dealing with your schedule once, everyone is dealing with your schedule twice.

"Specific to the outcome?" There's a very real difference between having every intent of being there but being unable to because of circumstance, and having every intent of not being there but showing up anyway because of choice. The former is a burden shared, the latter is selfish.