On October 7, Netflix suspended Terra Field, a trans employee, after she posted a Twitter thread stating that "we launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups" which went viral. Netflix alleged that Field, as well as two other employees, had attempted to gain access to a director-level meeting without permission.[6] Dear White People writer Jaclyn Moore additionally announced that she would no longer collaborate with Netflix, stating the company continues to "put out and profit from blatantly and dangerously homophobic content."[7]
On October 8, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended the special's release in a memo sent to employees, saying that "[w]e don't allow titles on Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don't believe The Closer crosses that line."[8]
Following Sarandos' statement, the trans employee resource group at Netflix announced they would stage a walkout on October 20, stating in a message that the streaming company had failed them "by repeatedly releasing content that harms the Trans community and continually failing to create content that represents and uplifts Trans content."[9] That day, Field and the two other employees who had been suspended were reinstated.
Soon after the employee resource group's threat of a walkout, Sarandos defended the special once again in a company-wide email saying "[w]ith The Closer, we understand that the concern is not about offensive-to-some content but titles which could increase real world harm (such as further marginalizing already marginalized groups, hate, violence etc.)" and that "[w]hile some employees disagree, we have a strong belief that content on screen doesn't directly translate to real-world harm".[10][11] On October 15, it was reported that Netflix had fired one of the lead organizers of the walkout, a Black trans person who is pregnant, allegedly for leaking nonpublic financial information to Bloomberg News.[12][13][14]
On October 18, the Trans Employee Resource Group within Netflix released a list of changes they wanted to see the company make, including:
- The creation of a fund to develop trans and non-binary talent
- An increase in investment in trans and non-binary content
- A review of internal procedure on commissioning potentially sensitive content
- Hiring more trans and non-binary, especially BIPOC, content executives
- Allowing employees to remove themselves out of previous advertisements the employees had participated in
- Getting rid of workplace references to transphobic content (such as posters in offices)
- An acknowledgement of Netflix's responsibility for harm its content causes
- The additional of disclaimers to content that contains discriminatory portrayals[15]
On October 19, Sarandos stated in an interview with Variety that there was "a group of employees who were definitely feeling pain and hurt from a decision we made" and that his internal responses to the situation "should have led with a lot more humanity."[16][17]
On October 20, at around 10:30 a.m., Netflix workers began walking off the job.[18] Workers who were working from home also joined the walkout, logging out of virtual workplaces.[19] A rally was held outside of Netflix's offices in Los Angeles, attracting only ten to thirty Netflix staff and supporters. Journalist Ashlee Marie Preston gave a speech at the rally, stating that "there is this manipulation of algorithmic science that distorts the way that we perceive ourselves and others. And I think that companies like Netflix, Facebook, and Instagram, they play into it, and they monetize on it." A small number of counter-protestors also showed up to the rally, including some who chanted anti-trans slogans.[20][21]
On October 29, B. Pagels-Minor and Terra Field announced that they would be filing unfair labor practice charges against Netflix with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that Netflix retaliated against them for attempting to improve working conditions within the company.[22] On November 22, Field announced that she was resigning from Netflix. That same date, the lawyer for Pagels-Minor and Field stated "My clients have resolved their differences with Netflix and will be voluntarily withdrawing their NLRB charge".[23]
