Netflix Trans Employees Reveal Demands Ahead Of Wednesday Walkout

HOLLYWOOD, CA —The Trans* Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Netflix on Monday revealed a set of demands for management ahead of the group's planned walkout protest on Wednesday, according to the The Verge.

The group, according to its literature, includes trans and non-binary colleagues as well as "our numerous allies."

"We want the company to adopt measures in the areas of content investment, employee relations and safety, and harm reduction, all of which are necessary to avoid future instances of platforming transphobia and hate speech," the group stated in a press release, which was supplied to The Verge.

The demands include: Creating a new fund to specifically develop trans and non-binary talent, investing in multiple trans creators to make both scripted and unscripted programs across genres, recruiting trans people for leadership roles in the company, boosting promotion for trans-affirming titles in the platform and adding a disclaimer before transphobic titles that specifically flag transphobic language, misogyny, homophobia and hate speech.

"We are employees, but we are members, too. We believe that this company can and must do better in our quest to entertain the world, and that the way forward must include more diverse voices in order to avoid causing more harm," The Trans* ERG wrote in the press release. "We look
forward to working with the company to make this a better, more entertaining place for us all."

The group is planning the company-wide walkout in part to protest statements made by co-CEO Ted Sarandos regarding comedian Dave Chappelle's latest comedy special on Netflix titled "The Closer," which was released Oct. 5.

In the special, Chappelle doubled down on previous jokes about trans people in a set that has been criticized by trans activist groups like GLAAD and the National Black Justice Coalition, according The Verge.

But on Oct. 8, Sarandos reportedly sent an internal memo email stating that the company would not be taking down the special, and adding that he did not believe Chappelle's stand-up routine had crossed the line.

"It never feels good when people are hurting, especially our colleagues," Sarandos wrote. "You should also be aware that some talent may join third parties in asking us to remove the show in the coming days, which we are not going to do."

According to Newsweek, Netflix fired a leader of the trans employee resource group organizing the protest. Though the company said the firing was due to the employee leaking confidential information.

Netflix also suspended a trans employee named Terra Field, a software engineer, who had posted a viral tweet thread about Chappelle's special, saying it "attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness," according to The Verge.

However, the company said the suspension of Field, and two other employees, was for trying to attend a director-level meeting to which they were not invited. All three employees later were reinstated.