Netflix responds to the HRC after their removal from the annual Corporate Equality Index
Netflix has responded to being left out of the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Corporate Equality Index. On 27 January, the HRC released their inclusive report that rates the “Best Places to Work” for LGBTQ+ people.
After being on the list for five years, the popular streaming service was notably absent from the latest report. The decision was made due to Netflix’s handling of Dave Chappelle’s transphobic “comedy” special, The Closer. “Given the harm experienced by transgender workers at Netflix as a result of the company’s handling of the release of The Closer, HRC has suspended Netflix’s Corporate Equality Index score and will not be rewarding it with a ‘Best Places to Work’ distinction in the 2022 CEI,” the report said. “HRC and Netflix are having productive conversations about steps the company could take to demonstrate it is acting in a manner consistent with the values of workplace equality and inclusion and to improve trust among their employees and the public.” Shortly after the report was announced, a spokesperson from the popular company released a statement “respectfully” disagreeing with the findings. “While we have more work to do, we’ve made real strides on inclusion, including for our LGBTQ+ colleagues.
For example, we offer comprehensive transgender and non-binary-inclusive care in our U.S. health plans as well as adoption, surrogacy and parental leave for same-sex couples,” they said. “And we’ve also worked hard to increase representation on screen.
Netflix is the only major entertainment company to have commissioned and published independent research into diversity in our content so that we can better measure our progress.” While the company has earned perfect scores in previous reports, the end of 2021
