Katarzyna Petru
Elon Musk is once again stirring controversy — this time directing his criticism towards Netflix. The richest person in the world accuses the platform of "promoting woke content" aimed at children, concerning issues of transgenderism and homosexuality.
From Disney to Netflix
This is not the first time that Musk has spoken out against the so-called "woke culture" in the media. Over the past few years, similar accusations have been directed at Disney, whose productions – according to critics – have increasingly focused on issues of identity and diversity.
Examples? "The Little Mermaid" with a new cast and altered message or "Lightyear", in which homosexual themes came to the forefront.
Under pressure, Disney has partially stepped back from this course – Pixar studio reworked the film "Elio", removing the storyline about the main character's homosexuality after the departure of the original director.
“Transgender agenda” in animations
Now, Netflix has come under scrutiny. Musk pointed to the animated children's series Dead End: Paranormal Park, which he believes has a “transgender, woke agenda” due to the presence of a transvestite character.
He also mentioned other examples, including an episode of CoComelon, in which a “gay man encourages a boy to wear a tiara and a skirt,” and the youth series The Baby-Sitters Club, where the theme of transvestism appears in the background.
As noted by The Verge and Variety, Musk also pointed out that in Netflix games, players can choose genders outside of the binary divide.
Wave of resignations and political pressure
A billionaire has called on users to boycott the platform, and many subscribers have responded by posting confirmations of subscription cancellations on social media.
This is not the first time Musk has tried to influence the direction of mass culture – in 2024, he published an April Fool's prank, declaring himself the "Chief DEI Officer of Disney," aiming to make the company's content "even more woke."
Pressure is also emerging at the political level. The Trump administration is considering limiting DEI policies in corporations, and some Republicans are trying to associate the concept of "woke" with the Democratic Party.
Netflix loses billions
After a wave of comments from Musk, Netflix lost approximately 13 billion dollars in value in just a few days. Although it is difficult to definitively attribute this decline to his words, the media storm surrounding the topic of "woke" once again demonstrates the significant impact Elon Musk's words have on the market—regardless of whether they concern rockets, cars, or animated films.
