Netflix is being put under the microscope this week after their latest round of layoffs, and we don’t think the recent goodwill from Heartstopper fans will be enough to protect the streaming giant from scrutiny.
150 full-time employees at Netflix were recently let go as well as contractors across multiple teams. Among these contractors were agency writers at the streamer’s minority channels Most (LGBTQ focused), Netflix Golden (API focused), Strong Black Lead (Black focused), and Con Todo (Latinx focused).
So many deeply, deeply talented people were asked to leave Netflix today. People who were integral to the fabric of the teams I used to lead across Strong Black Lead, Con Todo, MOST and Netflix Golden.
Comment below if you were one of them so I can spotlight you!!
— Myles Worthington (@MylesTW) May 17, 2022
This is following Netflix’s recent scandal involving Dave Chappelle’s transphobic comedy special and the subsequent “like-it-or-leave-it” culture memo that stated “if you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”
The whole situation has left some wondering if any of these recent layoffs were targeted.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
So Netflix fired most of its POC employees recently and now most of its queer employees.
Sounds like they’re using “low subscribers rates” as an excuse to discriminate.
— 🌸Bibi🌸♿ (@bibicosplays) May 17, 2022
Netflix has assured that this isn’t the case and that the channels will still be run in-house by people from their respective communities, as well as pointing out that this move is affecting teams like Netflix is a Joke, Netflix Film, and Netflix Geek as well, and not just the minority-focused teams.
Shortly after Queerty reached out to the steaming giant for comment on Wednesday, it posted a tweet specifically addressing the issue (though the quote tweets show a less than stellar reaction from their audience).
Your favorite Black, LGBTQ+, API, and Latinx stories will always have a home on @strongblacklead @Most @netflixgolden & @contodonetflix, with voices celebrating – and from – those communities. pic.twitter.com/mJcMfXbKgT
— Netflix (@netflix) May 18, 2022
Regardless of the reasoning, the amount of queer creatives and creatives of color suddenly finding themselves out of work has made for an unfortunate look for Netflix among many consumers in the community.
In addition to reaching out to Netflix, Queerty contacted several queer former employees of the company affected by these layoffs for comment. We will update as more information becomes available.
UPDATE: A previous version of this article stated that 150 employees and contractors at Netflix were laid off. Netflix has clarified that the number cited referred to full-time employees specifically, and does not include their previous contractors.
bachy
I’d be curious to know how many queer creatives are employed by NETFLIX outside of those generating LGBTQ-specific content.
Invader7
Uh oh.. Netflix screwed itself and there will be more viewers cancelling their subscriptions !!! Netflix is now officially tone deaf and regressive !!!
Prax07
There really, for me, hasn’t been anything new of any quality to watch on Netflix for a while now. Not interested at all in Heartstopper, not interested in most of the foreign movies or shows, that leaves little else. Once Stranger Things new season comes out and I watch it there’s really no reason not to cancel and switch to something else for a while.
graphicjack
you’re missing out on Heartstopper… literally everyone I know and have heard had seen it says it’s amazing. It’s a quick watch and it’s just super cute and heartwarming… not something we tend to see nowadays.
Prax07
I don’t care for teen/tween romance stuff at all, and the fact that’s it’s “heartwarming” tells me right there I won’t like it. I’m more into thriller/horror/scifi so it’s definitely not something I’ll watch.
CatholicXXX
Enough of this “Latinx” bs. It’s Latino or Hispanic. NOT “LATINX’
BigJohnSF
thank you
RichBos
Yes, I thank you too. My partner is Latino and, like 98% of all Hispanics, he HATES the word “Latinx.” It’s woke BS — not everyone is looking to erase feminine/masculine aspects of their language. But activists of all types keep trying to shove it down their throats. Ain’t gonna work.
BEARY FLINTSTONE
Then why some want to call themselves “WHITE?
nm4047
I’m Not into the pronoun BS myself, including the use of LGBTIQAxyz, it’s gay or lesbian I don’t identify as a trans, queer or any of the addons but just move with it.
Diplomat
You know I bet a lot of gay people feel the same way. I do. I feel quite put upon with they them, queer etc. It’s demeaning inaccurate and above all, irrational.
Brian
Check out some of the old episodes of the podcast “Code Switch” with Shereen Marisol Maraji. They talk about how Latinx is partially embraced by the community, but also how Latino/a and Hispanic were pretty bad to begin with. All three words are surprisingly new. It used to be that different groups of Latinos didn’t really see themselves as one in the same. (Puerto Ricans are American citizens, Cubans came to escape socialism, “Guatemalan” immigrants are very often indigenous people like Mayans and have little to no Spanish ancestry.) Your insistence that those words are somehow better is wrong.
Ellipse Kirk
Actually, in English, those identifying words like Latin are not gendered. That’s not true in romance languages, but English is not a romance language.
inbama
They’ve got tons of excellent LGBT programming verses one controversial comedian.
The way the professional crybabies are reacting, you’d think the situation was reversed.
MrGoldman
I agree. Don’t let the perfect outweigh the good.
Ronbo
Keep in mind that it’s only a tiny, tiny minority who constantly complain. It’s the media that’s the problem exaggerating the threat. Example: Yahoo conservatives constantly publish these type of stories exaggerating the threat of being “woke”. Kindness and compassion are made out to be dangerous!?!
When the complaint is that your kindness and compassion are bad, you know that someone is wanting conservative traditional values that never existed. Republicans.
tjack47
I’m not sure I buy this story. That they were targeted. It may be some of their lousy content. It’s true I’ve been thinking about cancelling. I seem to scroll through the choices, and much of it just reads as silly, outlandish(not in a good way) or uninteresting. I hadn’t cared to watch Chapelle, so I’ve not seen it. Comics and controversy is what I grew up with, but mostly, the good ones, they said shit about everyone.
MrGoldman
Netflix is financially in trouble so they need to cut some of the underperforming areas. They did not dissolve these groups. There is no mention of other areas where many straight employees have been cut. This performative outrage may seem large amongst friends on Twitter, but it will have no effect. Netflix has been on constant expansion but the time has come for contraction. It doesn’t necessarily equal racism or homophobia.
frapachino
The radicals really really want there to be racism and homophobia, so much so that they make it up.
phanrepublic
Netflix is also notorious for firing people ala Jeff Bezos-style. No one who only reads Queerty or the Advocate would know that, though. Worse, I don’t think NPR or NYT are on TikTok, so I wouldn’t imagine anyone under thirty knowing anything going on in the world.
BigJohnSF
The Chappelle special was a Queerty scandal – it wasn’t a Netflix scandal. And if they are letting go of creatives representing minority groups, it must be because people aren’t watching the programming they are creating. This company is very data-driven.
Brian
Quite famously, Netflix employees protested at the time. Staged walkouts, requested meetings with executives, etc. Netflix gave some meek non-apologies, and then employees said it wasn’t enough. At one point, there was talk of new investments in LGBT creators/storylines, but I don’t know if that was ever finalized. It was certainly a scandal within the company.
BEARY FLINTSTONE
Life goes on?
Huron132
I think we all need to look at all of this as a library. They have something to offend everyone. That is why it is a library of movies, shows, documentaries and specials. As usual maybe or maybe not they let go specific people. It’s like any company. Watch not watch subscribe or not subscribe. If there is a perfect company to work for let me know so I can apply. To keep my home like everyone we are stuck.
This isn’t to support anyone just an idea. We all should look at things in a different perspective.
andrewmpls
“Regardless of the reasoning” Well, no. The reasoning is important since that’s the entire point Queerty wrote this. They had a bad quarter and they probably laid off lots of people across all divisions. This article is kinda gross. Find the reasoning before blaming them for it.
inbama
Cable shifts back and forth.
I’ve gotten bored with Hulu. I originally got it for FX, but it’s been a long time between “Fargo” episodes, and “AHS” seems worn out. Meanwhile, HBO/Max has horned in on its territory big time.
frapachino
People are fed up with the woke stuff worming its way into everything, and its about time, maybe now we can go back to creating art.
Ronbo
Is it really “woke” individuals? Or is it Repubs and ConservaDems like Graham Gremore pushing concepts and people in order to generate backlash. Don’t forget that Graham was at the center of the Young Democrats fake scandal against Alex Morse, gay progressive, – which allowed a much, Much, MUCH more conservative person to win. Graham repeatedly posted knowingly false stories right here!
Most people KNOW that there are two primary sexes (M and F) and that all M and F individuals exhibit a complete range of gender behaviors. I know very few people who think otherwise… unless you read the Queerty and LGBTQ nation. They seem to be feeding FOX News talking points.
barryaksarben
There is NO woke mob. Use pronouns or not , no one is forcing anyone. Who has been cancelled? Colin K is the only one denied earning a living no one else. The only people who are going to be FORCED are women who will be FORCED to have unwanted children and gay marriage will be next while all you IDIOTS buy into the rights thinnly veiled bullshit about woke and other lies. Grow up you overaged white gay males and see the REAL threat which is the GOP.
phanrepublic
No one in my age group is WOKE, Princess. Move down a couple generations if you want to find the people who don’t know who they are.
Polaro
Yeah, there is a woke mob. I mean, you did read the Twitter posts in this article, right? Woke mob. Pronouns? Yeah, Google is your friend. Google people getting fired for not using nutty pronouns. Educate yourself. Choice and gay marriage? Yeah, they are in trouble, sadly. Perhaps the far left should have voted for Hillary instead of whining about Bernie, who would have won zero states. Hating on old white males is a great example of just how screwed up your values. Get a grip.
Polaro
Bite the hand that feeds you, get your finger ripped off. Netflix, like Disney have a disproportionately high number of out LGBTQ employees. They are great places for LGBTQ people to work. So when these out-of-touch LGBTQ employees then turned on their employers over unreasonable nonsense I was left to shake my head at their self-centered lack of reality.
Netflix, in particular, has invested disproportionately in fringe LGBTQ shows. In a pinch, when they need to cut costs, its these money-loser that get cut, especially after they peed in the pool. It is true that a lot of people are out of touch with LGBTQ issues, but it is equally true that many of these loud-mouthed LGBTQ activists are out of touch with how much they actually matter.