When it comes to transgender and nonbinary characters in children’s programming, not even Disney can keep up with Netflix.
The streaming service saw its stock take a hit after tech billionaire Elon Musk called for a boycott, announcing that he had canceled his subscription and urging others to do the same over the platform’s gender-identity content in multiple shows for children as young as 2.
“Netflix is deliberately choosing to pay people to create sexualized content for children,” Mr. Musk posted Oct. 3 on X. “Freedom of speech should be respected, but this is PAID speech. Netflix is going out of their way and reaching into their wallet to push this.”
Mr. Musk, a longtime critic of gender ideology, jumped in after the conservative outlet Libs of TikTok posted a clip from “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” an animated series about a “gay transgender teen boy” who runs away to a theme park after facing family rejection.
“I’m trans, Norma, and everyone at school knows, and everyone at home knows,” the character tells a friend in the episode. “And being here, it’s like a whole new place where I can just be Barney, and I can choose when and if I tell people. I’ve never been happier.”
The show, listed for children aged 7 and older, ran for 20 episodes before being canceled in 2023, but it remains available on the Netflix platform.
And the program is far from alone in promoting transgender content. Libs of TikTok followed up by posting clips from more than a half-dozen kids’ shows available on Netflix that feature gender-bending characters and content.
“Companies cannot keep getting away with pushing radical ideologies such as transgenderism on children,” said Libs of TikTok on its “Cancel Netflix” page.
Netflix saw its market cap drop by $15 billion last week after Mr. Musk urged his followers to “cancel Netflix” in an Oct. 1 message on X, prompting a flurry of subscribers to post their cancellation notices.
The streamer recovered some of its losses Tuesday, as its stock price closed at $1,191.06 per share, up from last week’s low of $1,139.81, but down from its 52-week high of $1,341.15.
Fueling the outrage was an X post last month reportedly from Hamish Steele, creator of “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” slamming conservative activist Charlie Kirk a day after his assassination, as shown in a Libs of TikTok screenshot.
Mr. Steele has since locked his account. He denied that Netflix is promoting the show, calling it “all lies and slander!” according to The U.S. Sun.
Netflix has not responded publicly to the criticism over its transgender programming. The Washington Times has reached out to the company for comment.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the boycott is that “Dead End: Paranormal Park” isn’t a one-off.
Offering children’s content that includes LGBTQ characters, gay weddings and transgender-affirming messaging appears to be a feature of the streaming service’s business model, not a bug.
Other shows with gender-identity themes include “The Baby-Sitters Club,” which included an episode about a teenage girl, Mary Anne, who tells a doctor to stop “misgendering” a boy who identifies as a girl; and “Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City,” which showcases a “transberry” character.
In a 2023 episode of “CoComelon Lane,” a boy is encouraged by his gay dads to dance in a tiara and tutu. The program is designed for preschoolers aged 2 and older.
The show, which ran 2020-25, was picked up by Disney+ after Netflix decided not to renew it, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Even robots have gender identities. A 2023 episode of the animated show “Transformers Earthspark” streaming on Netflix includes a scene in which a girl named Morgan explains that the transformer Nightshade uses “they/them” pronouns.
“He or she just doesn’t fit who I am,” says Nightshade. Another robot apologizes for using Nightshade’s non-preferred pronouns.
In the animated fantasy series “The Dragon Prince,” a character named Terry says: “Back then, when I was just a little one, the other elves saw me as a doe. But I knew. I always knew that I was a buck.”
Also available on Netflix is “The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone,” a 2022 documentary about an Australian male-to-female transgender actor and activist who became at age 10 the youngest person in the nation to gain access to puberty blockers for purposes of gender transition.
At least one member of Congress wants to know more about Netflix’s transgender programming. Rep. Tim Burchett, Tennessee Republican, told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that he wants to question company executives about their “agenda” at a committee hearing.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.