How Dave Chappelle is changing Netflix’s culture

Netflix’s statement that employees should quit if they don’t want to work on shows they think are “harmful” raises questions about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at a company once praised as a leader in corporate culture.

Seven months after employees walked out over a Dave Chappelle special they called trans- and homophobic, the streaming service revised its extensive corporate culture memo. Dated May 12, it reads: “. . . you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”

The company’s hands-off approach to harmful content was evident nearly two weeks later, when Netflix released a special by comedian Ricky Gervais, who derided transgender women when talking about their pronouns and bodies. Like the Chapelle show, LGBTQ activists quickly denounced Gervais and Netflix, saying they are reinforcing stereotypes that could lead to physical harm against transgender people.