UPDATE: Netflix Reinstates Staffer Who Spoke Out Against Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’ Special
Last week, Netflix employee Terra Field, released a lengthy Twitter statement one day after Dave Chappelle’s special premiered: “Yesterday we launched another Chappelle special where he attacks the trans community, and the very validity of transness – all while trying to pit us against other marginalized groups. You’re going to hear a lot of talk about ‘offense.’ We are not offended,” she wrote.
RELATED: Netflix Employee Who Criticized Dave Chappelle’s Special Allegedly Gets Suspended
In a second tweet, Field, who is trans, added, “What we object to is the harm that content like this does to the trans community (especially trans people of color) and VERY specifically Black trans women.” Per The Hollywood Reporter, Field, and two other employees were initially suspended Monday. However, Netflix insisted they did not take action against the three employees because they had spoken out against Chappelle’s show. The company said she was suspended for attempting to enter a meeting she had not been invited to.
“It is absolutely untrue to say that we have suspended any employees for tweeting about this show,” a Netflix spokesperson told the outlet. “Our employees are encouraged to disagree openly and we support their right to do so.” Field, a software engineer at Netflix, shared on Twitter Tuesday that she has since been reinstated: “Netflix has reinstated me after finding that there was no ill-intent in my attending the QBR meeting. I’ve included the statement I requested below,” she said.
Field said she would be taking some time off to “decompress” and “figure out where I’m at” before planning her next steps. “At the very least, I feel vindicated,” she wrote.
As we previously reported, Chappelle faced heavy criticism last week after his latest special was released. In the show, he said he was “team Terf” (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) like British author JK Rowling:
“They cancelled JK Rowling. My god,” Chappelle said during his set. “Effectually she said gender was a fact, the trans community got mad as s***, they started calling her a Terf… I’m Team Terf. I agree. I agree, man. Gender is a fact.”
Speaking on some people’s attempt to cancel him following his controversial show, he said: “If this is what being canceled is like, I love it,” the 48-year-old stated.