This is the essence of Netflix's newly updated guidelines for staff who feel cause to complain about any of the shows, films or games they make.

Netflix's achievements as a business are incredible and they make some great content but this stinks.

We believe a company’s actual values are shown by whom they hire, reward or let go.

Also content.

Netflix have made a lot of wonderfully diverse and kind content.

Taking a break from sci-fi recently, which we occasionally allow ourselves, we watched their new Heartstopper series.

So delightful.

Then there's "Team TERF!" (trans-exclusionary radical feminist)) Dave Chapelle and his controversial remarks about gender and support of J. K. Rowling.

Yes biological gender is presently a medical reality, but it should almost never be relevant.

It costs nothing to extend the simple kindness of speaking about and treating people according to their preferred gender.

Rowling's objections don't hold up to even light scrutiny.

Netflix's guidelines include a section on inclusion which staff are expected to uphold in relation to each other but which clearly doesn't apply to content.

Because "artistic expression".

Inclusion is an all or nothing proposition and Team TERF is by definition not.

Have Netflix updated these guidelines just to shield Chapelle and his content?

According to The Hollywood Reporter that may be the case. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is a personal fan of Chapelle.

Or should we expect more "provocative artistic expression" of different flavours?

Who will be on the receiving end next?

Disney may have stumbled in their original response to protests over the don't say gay bill but they righted themselves.

The right are now ramping up efforts to punish them for that but Disney+ subscribers don't need to worry about their money being used to sponsor hate.

This may now be an issue for Netflix subscribers.

[ Main Image: Netflix logo. Credit: Netflix. ]

References

Johnson, Ted (May 10, 2022). Florida Residents Denied In Lawsuit Over Ron DeSantis’ Disney World Decision. Deadline.

Masters, Kim (April 27, 2022). Netflix’s Big Wake-Up Call: The Power Clash Behind the Crash. The Hollywood Reporter.

Netflix. Netflix Culture — Seeking Excellence. (viewed May 17, 2022)

Rosenblatt, Kalhan (June 11, 2020). J.K. Rowling doubles down in what some critics call a 'transphobic manifesto'. NBC News.

Towey, Hannah (May 15, 2022). Netflix tells employees they can quit if they don't want to work on content they disagree with, according to new company culture guidelines. Business Insider.