Elon Musk was able to create a huge backlash against Netflix. He is going so far as to urge his followers to cancel their subscriptions, asserting that the streaming service is pushing a woke agenda to indoctrinate children with LGBTQ+ propaganda. The billionaire entrepreneur has since reposted dozens of tweets from users saying they’ve canceled their Netflix subscriptions in retaliation. His tirade began on Tuesday when he expressed disapproval of the animated series “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” which features a character, Barney, identifying as transgender.
Musk’s concerns mainly focus on his disagreement with Netflix on what content is suitable for children. Most importantly, he is shining a spotlight on other shows. Significantly, he highlights that “The Baby-Sitters Club” and “Cocomelon” contain pro-trans elements. This latest kerfuffle is just one chapter of Musk’s recent war on Netflix in which he’s accused the streaming giant of promoting an “anti-white” agenda through its hiring practices.
In the last three days alone, Musk has tweeted or retweeted calls to #CancelNetflix subscriptions 26 times. His campaign against Netflix is going viral on social media! He raises concerns about a political bias among Netflix employees. He claims that this 2024 election cycle, they funneled all of their campaign contributions to Democrats—100%. These claims, under any scrutiny, fall flat, calling into question the validity of Musk’s claims.
Musk’s sudden and vociferous criticism of Netflix is all the more delicious when one considers his circumstances. He is the father of a trans daughter, Vivian Wilson, who has spoken out against her father’s anti-trans rhetoric. In a rare public comment, Musk said he was saddened by the deterioration of his relationship with his son. He said he “virtually lost my son” and that he had been “duped” into letting gender-affirming care occur for Wilson. He has infamously stated in a TikTok that Vivian is “deceased, murdered by the woke mind virus.”
After CEO Musk’s inflammatory statements on social media, countless users responded on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to express their outrage. The response from the public has been deafening. One user stated, “Transgender propaganda isn’t just quietly lurking in the background on Netflix. They are actively pushing it on users.” This anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment represents the growing divide among viewers over the acceptance or censorship of LGBTQ+ themes in children’s programming.
Netflix responded to the criticism with an article titled “Celebrate Trans Day of Visibility with These 16 Movies and Shows,” highlighting its commitment to inclusivity in its content. The streaming giant aims to create an environment that reflects diverse experiences and identities, especially in children’s programming, which they believe can foster understanding and acceptance among young audiences.
Trans actor and advocate Zach Barack weighed in on the ongoing debate, speaking to the positive implications of inclusive content. He stated, “you can fear monger all you want, but kids & parents have told me it saved their lives!!” This is an important concept because it highlights the contradictory understandings of what LGBTQ+ representation in media should do.
Musk’s call to action has generated a strong response from his 227 million followers on X. All of them are forced to reconsider their Netflix subscriptions right now. Emphasizing the health of children, Musk declared, “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.” Not surprisingly, some segments of society are coming to see media representation as a direct affront to the traditional order. That increasing trend is evident in their use of language.
The show “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” which ran for 20 episodes in 2022 before being canceled by Netflix the following year, serves as a focal point in this ongoing debate. It aims its episodes at those seven years and up. This show was supposed to be the embodiment of the culture war between leftist storytelling and right-wing outrage.