Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has joined calls to “cancel” Netflix over its new film ‘Cuties,’ dubbing it “child porn” for its sexualized depictions of young girls after two GOP lawmakers urged the DOJ to sue the platform.
The former Democratic presidential hopeful took aim at Netflix in a Friday tweet, arguing the controversial film would only “whet the appetite for pedophiles” and “help fuel the child sex trafficking trade” while slamming the streaming service as “complicit.”
.@netflix child porn “Cuties” will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade. 1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children. It happened to my friend’s 13 year old daughter. Netflix, you are now complicit. #CancelNetflixpic.twitter.com/GI8KFH7LFq
The Hawaii Democrat was not the only lawmaker to step into the debate over the new release on Friday. Just prior to Gabbard’s tweet, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) also blasted the film in separate statements, both inviting the DOJ to take legal action against Netflix.
“There’s no excuse for the sexualization of children, and Netflix’s decision to promote the film ‘Cuties’ is disgusting at best and a serious crime at worst,” Cotton told the Daily Caller.
I urge the Department of Justice to take action against Netflix for their role in pushing explicit depictions of children into American homes.
Hitting Netflix earlier this week for international audiences, ‘Cuties’ has been billed as a coming-of-age story, following 11-year-old protagonist ‘Amy’ as she joins a “twerking dance crew” and “[explores] her femininity” to the chagrin of her conservative family, according to the platform’s own synopsis. But the film has spawned a wave of heated criticism, with detractors deeming it profoundly inappropriate and exploitative of its underage cast.
Banks seconded Cotton’s request to the DOJ on Friday, going even further than the senator to suggest Netflix should be charged for distributing child pornography.
“As a father of young daughters, I find it sickening. Not only is this movie fodder for pedophiles, it encourages very young girls to defy their parents’ wishes and share pornographic images of themselves with strangers,” Banks said.
The lessons taught in this film are not ones I want my daughters learning. The DOJ should be readying charges against Netflix for distribution of child pornography.
As a father of three young daughters, I find “Cuties” sickening. Glad to join @SenTomCotton in calling on the DOJ to bring charges against Netflix for distribution of child pornography. https://t.co/xmHO3b1yLN
Following weeks of controversy, which was sparked before the film’s official release date, Netflix finally addressed critics in a statement on Thursday, insisting ‘Cuties’ is a “powerful” and “award winning” story while encouraging viewers to give the movie a chance. While the company previously apologized for a promotional image for the film, acknowledging it was “inappropriate” and “not ok,” it argued the poster was not “representative” of the picture. Critics online were not receptive to the apology, however, as many have noted the content of the movie is “far worse” than what was shown in the promo poster.
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