Send Netflix a Message

My household canceled our Netflix subscription months ago.

We’d been grumbling for some time about the increase in programming that mocked our values and was either borderline pornographic or certainly blasphemous toward our faith.

I really wasn’t surprised when I first saw promotions for the film “Cuties” a few weeks back because I’d been telling people to expect a cultural push toward acceptance of pedophilia, bestiality and other deviant practices for some time.

“Cuties” is a movie that follows four 11-year-old girls on their quest to become a twerking dance group. For those unfamiliar, Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines twerking as, “sexually suggestive dancing characterized by rapid, repeated hip thrusts and shaking of the buttocks especially while squatting.” The performers are typically female and clad in revealing outfits.

If you were offended by the halftime show’s dancing in the last Super Bowl, twerking takes that performance and kicks the sexuality up about 10 notches. The prepubescent girls in “Cuties” are depicted learning about sex by watching porn on the internet and mimicking what they see online in their performance.

Netflix says “Cuties” is a story intended to call public attention to the hypersexualizing exploitation of young girls. I agree this is a major problem with society. But I don’t think the way to call attention to the problem is to sexually exploit young actresses and arouse any viewers prone to pedophilic thoughts or actions.

There will be those who question my ability to criticize a movie I have not seen. I saw the movie’s promotional poster, read about the film’s content from those who did see it and learned enough to understand there are images I don’t need in my head. Once something is seen, it cannot be unseen. That’s why I have content filters on my computers and online-capable devices. Several of those who saw the movie found it too upsetting to finish, and all found it gross, revolting and deeply upsetting.

Culture places incredible pressure on our young people, especially girls. Spend any time on TicTok or Instagram and you’ll find loads of “influencers” projecting unrealistic body types as the norm. Don’t think for a moment youngster’s with cellphones haven’t seen the kind of content I’m talking about. I heard a couple of years ago a study found the average American girl is first propositioned at to engage in a sexual act while in the third grade, and the proposition most often came from a boy the same age. How sick is that? By now I bet it’s even younger. We don’t need Netflix pouring gasoline on a fire that’s already out of control.

I hear the comments now. “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.” “Don’t tell me when to introduce my kids to sexual topics.” I didn’t. I won’t. But for those readers who agree Netflix took things too far, I have a challenge. Cancel your subscription for the rest of the year, if not for good. If enough people deprive Netflix of three months of income, they will take notice. You do have a voice with your purse or wallet.