Netflix losing subscribers over the release of Cuties

Momina Arshad

Netflix has stirred controversy all over the world with their latest project “Cuties” and they released it amid the protests of the subscribers.

“Cuties” first stirred controversy with their marketing strategy of showing 11-year-old girls in inappropriate poses but the uproar has increased since its release, with U.S. congressmen calling for Netflix to remove the film and asking authorities to investigate whether the streaming service or filmmakers violated federal laws against the production and distribution of child pornography.

The reason for it being so controversial was its approach to sexualize young girls hence promoting pedophilia and exploiting Islam. In this movie, the main character that belongs to a Muslim household is portrayed “oppressed” and wants to break free, so she chooses a “special” form of dance which is some young girls twerking, clearly sexualizing them. This movie that being a Muslim is “oppressing” for women and the freedom of women is granted by sexualizing them.

The sight of twerking pre-teen girls is explicitly designed to shock mature audiences into contemplation of today’s destruction of innocence. It also involved outrageous musical montages involving close-up crotch shots of pouting pre-teens.

Netflix’s stance

But Netflix stands by the film, calling it “a social commentary against the sexualization of young children.” a Netflix spokesperson said, “It’s an award-winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up — and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie.”

Netizens reaction

Netflix also caught on the whirlwind of cancel culture as the hashtags ‘cancel Netflix’ and ‘delete Netflix ’trended on social media on September 10, 2020.

Pakistani Netizens reaction

Hamza Ali Abbasi was one of the prominent figures who talked about this and took action by canceling his subscription of Netflix and also encouraged his followers to do the same.

Netflix “Apology”

After the on-going controversy, Netflix officially released an apology statement via their Twitter account.

But apparently this apology is only for the cover picture and description. According to their apology movie is fine only the cover and description were inappropriate, and they literally did not say a word about the inappropriate dance those girls are doing or how islamophobic people are more convinced that Islam is oppressive to women.