LOS ANGELES (AP) — Netflix employees walked out Wednesday in protest of Dave Chappelle’s special, "The Closer," and its anti-transgender comments.
They were joined by allies who chanted “Trans lives matter,” getting pushback from opponents who also showed up.
A pre-noon rally at a Netflix office-studio complex drew about 100 people, most on the side of an estimated 30 workers at the streaming giant that joined in afterward.
Some were willing to identify themselves as Netflix employees, but all declined to provide their names.
Joey Soloway, creator of the groundbreaking Emmy-winning comedy “Transparent,” was among the speakers at the rally.
Soloway called for trans representation on Netflix's board.
Ahead of the walkout, the company provided Variety with a statement:
“We value our trans colleagues and allies, and understand the deep hurt that’s been caused. We respect the decision of any employee who chooses to walk out, and recognize we have much more work to do both within Netflix and in our content.”
The company's co-CEO also apologized for its handling of the fallout. But he indicated to Variety that Chapelle's special will remain on Netflix.
