'Cancel Netflix': Elon Musk sparks backlash after calling out trans characters in animated series

Cancel culture can be brutal. Elon Musk called for the cancellation of Netflix, the popular OTT platform, for making available an animated show that features transgender characters, leading to a plunge in Netflix shares. Not only that, the creator of the show also had to take a break from social media due to a huge pileup of "antisemitic" and "homophobic" emails.

Elon Musk urges Netflix boycott over trans representation in kids’ shows

Elon Musk claims that the show Dead End: Paranormal Park promotes racial trans ideology. Even though the show was cancelled back in 2023, a clip of the protagonist, Barney Guttman, has resurfaced where he is seen saying that he is transgender on the show’s second episode.

"This is not ok," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in response. The show is rated TV-Y7 by Netflix, meaning it is suitable for 7 year olds or older.

“Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids,” wrote the Tesla CEO on his verified X handle, @elonmusk, in reaction to a meme posted by an X user named DogeDesigner that had the caption: “Protect your kids. Cancel Netflix.”

Following Elon Musk’s call for the boycott of Netflix, his right-wing supporters, even MAGA followers, have been actively campaigning on the social media platform to cancel the OTT platform over the show Dead End: Paranormal Park.

In fact, the hate got so far that Hamish Steele, the creator of the show, informed his followers on BlueSky that he would be taking a social media break due to “extremely nasty weird homophobic and antisemitic emails” he was receiving.

“I will just say today is much much worse and I am going to basically be on the down low for the foreseeable.” he wrote.

The Reddit discourse on the matter was as extensive as it was interesting.

"As a Gay Conservative who is a huge fan of Steven Universe — their representation of LGBT characters was completely natural and not forced. The characters were themselves without any need for explicit explanation," wrote one user.

"What we are seeing with the new show in question involves characters openly discussing transgender themes in wide ranges at an audience targeted directly to young children. The difference is extreme."

Elon Musk, who remains estranged from his 21-year-old transgender daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson, recently reposted a post from an X user referencing a character from the Netflix animated series Strawberry Shortcake.

Both Elon and the user referred to the character as “Transberry.” The character in question is believed to be Raisin Cane, who was introduced as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns in the 2022 episode Berry in the Big City.

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