Netflix Scolded for Tweet About Gays and Carly Rae Jepsen...??

The Netflix Canada account has issued an apology after a gay-themed tweet that some people found offensive.

On February 13th, after the trailer for Queer Eye season three dropped and previewed a new song by Carly Rae Jepsen, @Netflix_CA tweeted that “the gays get stronger every time @carlyraejepsen releases a new song.”

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For anyone who’s previously followed the account, there are often LGBTQ-related posts, from updates on what’s available on the Canadian streaming site to posts about gay icons so on point that they could obviously only be coming from within the community.

The description of the account itself even refers to it as “the gay Canadian one” (though it’s unclear as to when that description was made).

So while it is an undeniable fact that yes, the gays DO get stronger every time CRJ releases a new song, some folks took various issues with the tweet, with many suggesting that a branded account shouldn’t be able to use that level of familiarity ("the gays") with the community.

While some complaints about the tweet were clear, they were mixed in with others that seemed to just be upset that Carly Rae is still relevant, an opinion which is obviously dead wrong, and some who honestly just wanted them to figure out how to bring Bob’s Burgers to the Canadian platform.

The apology from Netflix CA came a few days later. It was unreserved, but did mention the account has, for years, been run by a gay man and a gay woman.

The responses were split — the apology was rejected by some on the grounds that it’s still a corporate account, and other users were just kind of confused as to why people were mad in the first place.

Wait, sorry, wrong tweet.

It’s an interesting — and admittedly bizarre — debate. In a world where corporate social media accounts tend to take on a recognizable brand beyond the corporation itself, and often even a very specific voice, should that voice be stripped of anything seen as coming from an LGBTQ (or other marginalized group) perspective? And does that in and of itself heteronormatize… brands? What if the person or people creating the voice are from that community?

What year is it? Have the AIs taken over yet? Is this the dystopia we brought down upon ourselves?

My brain is broken. Let’s all go listen to some “Cut to the Feeling” and chill. Or maybe watch Bob’s Burgers, as long as you’re not in Canada.

And anyway, we all at least have one comment we can agree on.