Netflix Issues Groveling Statement Ahead of Trans Employee Walkout

As part of its saving-face tour in the wake of Dave Chappelle’s controversial comedy special The Closer, Netflix issued a statement Wednesday supporting trans employees as they prepare to stage a walkout. “We value our trans colleagues and allies, and understand the deep hurt that’s been caused,” a Netflix spokesperson told Deadline. “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 walkout, set to begin at 10:30 a.m. PDT, will be accompanied by a list of demands for co-CEO Ted Sarandos. It has garnered support from some of the streamer’s most notable talent, including Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness, Pose star Angelica Ross, and actor Colton Haynes.

Sarandos apologized Tuesday for how the company handled the backlash to the special, admitting to Deadline that he “screwed up the internal communication” and “should’ve made sure to recognize that a group of our employees was hurting very badly from the decision made, and I should’ve recognized upfront before going into a rationalization.”