The teaser trailer for the latest Netflix show ‘Dear White People’ has sparked outrage on social media, leading many users to cancel their subscriptions to the streaming service in protest of what they feel is a “racist” series.
The series is based on a 2014 film of the same name, which won the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival without creating much uproar.
The film and the series detail the exploits of Samantha White, an outspoken biracial film major at a fictional prestigious university, whose radio show and self-published book criticize racial transgressions both in academia and wider society.
However, reaction to the upcoming series has been highly polarized. A number of Netflix users have rallied under the hashtags #cancelNetflix and #nonetflix to express their consternation by publicly canceling their subscriptions.
Dear Netflix… Homey don’t play. #DearWhitePeople#ByeByeNetflix#SantaClaritaDiet#MakeNetflixGreatAgainpic.twitter.com/jdGq4zrwiP
— Stacey ?? (@Crane_Maiden) February 9, 2017
Until “Dear White People” is cancelled @Netflix#CancelNetflixpic.twitter.com/6uFkAlEus7
— Alby the Deplorable (@albybrava) February 9, 2017
@JackPMoore How about putting out a show that covers this #cancelNetflixpic.twitter.com/1eEnu0YWBs
— DRMB Dragonphoenix69 (@Dragonphoenix69) February 9, 2017
Dear White People has over 241,000 dislikes. Hey @netflix didn’t you get the memo? Racism isn’t cool! #CancelNetflixpic.twitter.com/7S6aOrHAC1
— wednesday (@proudwednesday) February 10, 2017
However, former BuzzFeed contributor Tim Treadstone fell victim to his own indignation after tweeting to say the show “promotes white genocide,” as he forgot to blur out his email address on his Netflix cancellation and was rewarded with 7,000 subscriptions to various online mailing lists.
Netflix announced a new anti-white show (Dear White People) that promotes white genocide.
I cancelled my account, do the same. #NoNetflixpic.twitter.com/2HIGqviLHj
— Baked Alaska™ (@bakedalaska) February 8, 2017
RIP MY EMAIL
Some idiot just added me to 7,000 mailing lists. pic.twitter.com/eBRxiIAgXD
— Baked Alaska™ (@bakedalaska) February 8, 2017
At present, the YouTube trailer has more than three million views and almost a 10:1 ratio of dislikes to likes.
For all the people who called me a loon for saying Dear White People is anti-white, here’s a tweet from the writer of the show. #NoNetflixhttps://t.co/FWIR9JCwbx
— Baked Alaska™ (@bakedalaska) February 9, 2017
After claiming there’s nothing anti-white about Dear White People, the writer of the show literally tweeted “F*ck White People” #NoNetflix pic.twitter.com/luNcmq3u2R
— Baked Alaska™ (@bakedalaska) February 9, 2017
Not going to support racism! #cancelnetflixpic.twitter.com/1Q1RNJpL7l
— James Elmore (@James_Elmore) February 11, 2017
@Netflix is apparently all about perpetuating racism. I can’t support a company that does that. #cancelnetflix
— MorningJoeFan (@MorningJoeFan) February 10, 2017
The backlash hasn’t gone unnoticed. Justin Simien, director of the original film, has defended the series on his Facebook page.
“To see the sheer threat that people feel over a date announcement video featuring a woman of color (politely) asking not to be mocked makes it so clear why I made this show,” Simien wrote in a post that has since been removed.
“I want those who are chronically unseen in the culture to feel seen. And I want those willing to extend empathy to experiences unlike theirs to understand their humanity more deeply,” he said.
Simien’s comments have been echoed by other social media users too with many branding those opposed to the series “sensitive.”
People protesting “Dear White People” are the reason there is a movie and TV series called, “Dear White People”.
— My wife calls me ? (@Blk_and_Gyphted) February 8, 2017
So now there’s #NoNetflix because Dear White People is on Netflix ??
Gotta love all these #ConservativeSnowflakes— Julian Robles (@JJ_RoBless) February 9, 2017
White folks: “You’re too sensitive!”
White folks, also: “A 30s clip slating blackface is WHITE GENOCIDE!”https://t.co/eMhWBmN2F5#NoNetflixpic.twitter.com/3KUgTdUHSZ— Liam Barrington-Bush (@hackofalltrades) February 11, 2017
White people: BLM people are so triggered by everything ?
Netflix: “Dear White People”
White People: #NoNetflixpic.twitter.com/T6YBgon9Zi
— Matt Ⓥ (@Maeteu) February 11, 2017
Hey #NoNetflix people, tell me on this #AnatomicallyCorrect picture where @netflix hurt you with @DearWhitePeople . #triggerwarningpic.twitter.com/Ps99n2fEoZ
— Frankie Daniels (@TheDeviantSaint) February 11, 2017
Wypipo tweeting #NoNetflix because they don’t like a show that exposes a truth about themselves that they can’t accept… No surprises there pic.twitter.com/vrlTculB0i
— Krys W (@BlaqGyrl) February 11, 2017
I’m hoping these #cancelnetflix tards will drive the Netflix stock down a bit so I can buy a bunch and just wait for it to inevitably go up.
— TJ KIRK (@amazingatheist) February 10, 2017
However, what Justin Simien doesn’t comprehend is that people are not outraged at the show and ideas behind the show, INSTEAD are appalled by the mentality and “values” of one of the writers. Yes, you guessed right, the one posting on Twitter “FUCK WHITE PEOPLE”. Therefore, when somebody rotten touches something that will inherently become rotten also.
If you haven’t checked out and liked our Facebook page, please go here and do so.