Netflix Stands Strong Against Trans Activists’ Threats

Comedian Dave Chapelle has a new comedy special on Netflix full of offensive words no one has any good reason saying. He calls women terrible names, for laughs. He’s been doing so for years. But Netflix has found itself in extremely hot water for airing his latest special. Because he spoke so distastefully about women? Not at all. Because he uses the “n-word” like it’s salt and pepper? Nope.

Netflix has faced a vicious backlash because some trans activists don’t like how the comedian questions their political rhetoric. Chapelle does so by asking questions like ““Why is it easier for Bruce Jenner to change his gender than Cassius Clay to change his name?” in his new special “The Closer.”

But Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, has stood up to the throng via a memo to his employees, explaining “As with our other talent, we work hard to support their creative freedom — even though this means there will always be content on Netflix some people believe is harmful.” Sarandos told Netflix employees even there are those “asking us to remove the show in coming days” that is something “which we are not going to do.”

GLAAD, a gay media advocacy organization, tried to tell Netflix the comedy special violates the streaming behemoth’s own policies. But the Netflix CEO seems to be able draw a proper balance between language that incites hate and that which is simply critical of some of the political tactics of the gender redefinition movement,

“Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate. We don’t allow titles on Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don’t believe The Closer crosses that line. I recognize, however, that distinguishing between commentary and harm is hard, especially with stand-up comedy which exists to push boundaries.”

In the comedy special, Chapelle notes with honesty, “I don’t hate gay people. I am jealous of them. And I’m not the only Black person who feels that way.” As a Black man, he simply wonders aloud how that movement made such progress so quickly when his people have been fighting for basic human rights for centuries? He claims, “If slaves had baby oil and booty shorts, we might have been free a hundred years sooner.”

But the main content that has been creating blow-back for Netflix is where Chapelle simply asks why certain things that have never been questioned are being challenged today. Halfway into the show, Chapelle says, “Now we get to the core of the crisis” with the question, “What is a woman … in this day and time?” adding “This seems to be a question nowadays.”

He notes, “They canceled J.K. Rowling. She sold so many books, the Bible worries about her.” And just because “she said gender was a fact.”

The comedian added “I agree. Gender is a fact. You have to look at it from woman’s perspective.” And he is correct. If anyone can be a woman by self-declaration, then womanhood comes to mean nothing really. Chapelle said Bruce Jenner winning the title “Woman of the Year” in 2015, without ever experiencing menses, is like Eminem winning “Black Artist of the Year.”

Yes, that is where we are today. Call women vile names and you have a #1 comedy special. But common-sense questions about the political rhetoric of trans activists and they call for your cancelation. Is the fact that Netflix stood up to the bullying from trans activists finally an indication that not everyone will cower to the demands of these folks? We can hope.

Now, if Netflix would just resolve to cease and desist degrading actual women in their comedy specials, that would be real news.

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