• Home
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • News Tips/Press Releases
  • Advertising
Monday, May 23, 2022
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • The Ones

    Indira Sheumaker, city councilmembers find common ground among conflicts

    Drake urges community to remain cautious as reporting of new COVID-19 cases slows

    Drake urges community to remain cautious as reporting of new COVID-19 cases slows

    Drake to build University Center

    Student Senate passes resolution in support of the transgender community

    Drake welcomes first Black woman Student Body President

    Student Body President Morgan Coleman shares experiences as a leader

    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball

    Promising 2022 NFL Draft for Packers fans

    The two national parks you should visit this summer

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    Former Drake Basketball Player Wins National Championship

    The Top Moves of NFL Free Agency

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    Commentary: Top 5 Self Care Tips

    Commentary: Top 5 Self Care Tips

    Commentary: How to meet your next partner in 2022

    Commentary: “Oh… We’re Not Dating…”

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life
    Drake welcomes first Black woman Student Body President

    Student Body President Morgan Coleman shares experiences as a leader

    Painted Street recap

    Bam Bam wins Drake University’s 43rd annual Beautiful Bulldog Contest

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition

    Bill that would make Iowa a hands-free driving state stalls in the legislature

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    State of Sustainability at Drake

    Dean Kathleen Richardson: Leaving a Legacy for the Drake SJMC

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • The Ones

    Indira Sheumaker, city councilmembers find common ground among conflicts

    Drake urges community to remain cautious as reporting of new COVID-19 cases slows

    Drake urges community to remain cautious as reporting of new COVID-19 cases slows

    Drake to build University Center

    Student Senate passes resolution in support of the transgender community

    Drake welcomes first Black woman Student Body President

    Student Body President Morgan Coleman shares experiences as a leader

    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball

    Promising 2022 NFL Draft for Packers fans

    The two national parks you should visit this summer

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    Former Drake Basketball Player Wins National Championship

    The Top Moves of NFL Free Agency

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    Commentary: Top 5 Self Care Tips

    Commentary: Top 5 Self Care Tips

    Commentary: How to meet your next partner in 2022

    Commentary: “Oh… We’re Not Dating…”

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • All
    • Greek Life
    Drake welcomes first Black woman Student Body President

    Student Body President Morgan Coleman shares experiences as a leader

    Painted Street recap

    Bam Bam wins Drake University’s 43rd annual Beautiful Bulldog Contest

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition

    Bill that would make Iowa a hands-free driving state stalls in the legislature

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    State of Sustainability at Drake

    Dean Kathleen Richardson: Leaving a Legacy for the Drake SJMC

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
No Result
View All Result
Home Commentary

Commentary: It’s not about Dave Chappelle

byEmma Brustkern
October 29, 2021
in Commentary, Top Stories
0 0
0
To all The Boys: Always and Forever: Movie Brings Jams, Tears and Existential Dread

Photo Courtesy of John-Mark Smith | Pexels

When I first heard the news about comedian Dave Chappelle’s new stand-up special, I was, sadly, unsurprised. 

“The Closer,” which is now streaming on Netflix, is the latest in a series of specials resulting from a $60 million deal between Chappelle and the streaming platform. Most of the special is run-of-the-mill humor from Chappelle, who has been lauded as one of the best comedians of all time. However, being funny isn’t what landed him in the news — being transphobic did.

In “The Closer,” Chappelle complains that transgender people accuse him of “punching down,” suggests that only white people identify as queer and misgenders a former friend who died by suicide. Additionally, Chappelle vocalized support for notoriously transphobic author J.K. Rowling and declared himself “Team Terf,” aligning himself with the views of trans-exclusionary radical feminists.

This is not the first time Chappelle has been criticized for his transphobic views. Previous specials, such as “Equanimity,” “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and “Sticks & Stones” have all featured bite-sized bits of transphobia. In “The Closer,” however, Chappelle seems to double down. The anti-trans rhetoric has caused widespread outrage on social media as well as internal conflict at Netflix. 

Now, it’s easy to be mad at Chappelle. I, for one, am definitely mad at Chappelle. For someone who has been called the greatest comedian of all time, making transphobic jokes feels cheap and tired. However, the bigger villain of this story is Netflix. 

Netflix has long been hailed as a leader in LGBTQ representation. Many Netflix originals feature LGBTQ characters, and the company even has a dedicated hub for LGBTQ content. However, as we see Netflix continue to give Chappelle a platform, even the most casual observer can see they aren’t walking the walk. It’s one thing to celebrate Pride with rainbow advertising; it’s another to actually take time to listen to LGBTQ employees who are speaking out against the platform. 

My disappointment with Netflix intensified when Variety reported that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos sent a memo to employees on Friday, Oct. 15, speaking out against the backlash.  

“Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate,” Sarandos wrote. “We don’t allow titles on Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don’t believe The Closer crosses that line.”

Luckily, this ignorance did not go ignored. In a heated response, LGBTQ media organization GLAAD released their statement on the matter

“Authentic media stories about LGBTQ lives have been cited as directly responsible for increasing public support for issues like marriage equality,” the group said in a statement. “Film and TV have also been filled with stereotypes and misinformation about us for decades, leading to real world harm, especially for trans people and LGBTQ people of color.”

In response to the backlash, Sarandos has since said in the Wall Street Journal that his original memo was an oversimplification. Despite this backtracking, it is clear how Netflix sees this controversy: just another example of cancel culture. 

However, it should be noted that most activists are not calling for the special to be taken down. Rather, they are asking for accountability. On Wednesday, Oct. 20, Netflix employees walked out of their offices to protest the platforming of Chappelle’s hateful rhetoric. In conjunction with the walk-out, these employees have released a list of demands in order to achieve more positive and meaningful representation for trans and non-binary people at Netflix.

Asking for accountability is not equivalent to cancel culture. No one is wishing harm on Chappelle. Rather, we are asking Netflix, a multimillion dollar corporation, to put their money where their mouth is. If they want to pride themselves on being leaders in LGBTQ representation, they must put in the time and effort to make trans viewers employees feel safe, respected and heard. By giving the Chappelle special a platform, they are doing the exact opposite.

Words have consequences. Spewing hatred on a platform used by millions has consequences. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 2021 has already seen at least 41 transgender or gender non-conforming people fatally shot or killed by other violent means. Misinformation and hateful rhetoric about trans people only contributes to these statistics. 

It is Netflix’s responsibility to reconsider their relationship with Chappelle and to make serious changes to include trans voices. Otherwise, blood will be on their hands. 

Tags: chappelleCommentaryNetflix

Emma Brustkern

Next Post
Des Moines City Council Elections

Des Moines City Council Elections

Twitter Feeds

The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

BREAKING: Drake President Marty Martin announced in a campuswide email that Drake's number of active cases is projected to decline to 80 by the end of the day, down 241 since early Friday afternoon.
View on Twitter
2
10
The Times-Delphic
The Times-Delphic @timesdelphic

We've added an update to this article about the COVID-19 surge on campus. https://t.co/MaXtlQ4w2j
View on Twitter
0
4

Recommended

FOUR MORE YEARS

10 years ago

Commentary: The true meaning of inclusivity

6 months ago

Popular News

  • Twitch Streamer Raises Money for LGBT Community

    Twitch Streamer Raises Money for LGBT Community

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gladwell’s “Outliers” reveals the many factors of success

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake ranks among Ivy Leagues on Economist list

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The history of Indian boarding schools in Iowa

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Music as a political platform

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Humans of Drake Podcast

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Familiar face helps bring massive skatepark to Des Moines

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The rise and fall of Motown Records

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

  • About
  • Home
  • Podcasts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Virtual Edition
  • Advertising

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Features
    • Greek Life
  • Podcasts
  • Relays Edition
    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Uncategorized
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
    • Opinion

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Bodybuilder is fighting for his life after taking dirty steroids femara uk trump's "operation warp speed" for mass vaxxing. "big bucks for big pharma" - global research