Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Entertainment
EntertainmentTechnologyTV

Folks Irate About ‘Dear White People’ Series, Ditch Netflix Subscriptions Over ‘Reverse Racism’

Posted byBy Kiersten Willis | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

White people are angrily canceling their Netflix subscriptions after the premiere date for “Dear White People” was announced.

Many took to Twitter to proudly declare they would boycott the series based on the 2014 film of the same name, citing supposed anti-white sentiment. The trailer, which debuted Wednesday, Feb. 8, shows a Black college radio host’s issue with white students dressing up in blackface for Halloween.

But when alt-right Twitter user Anthime Gionet — also known as Tim Treadstone and his handle @BakedAlaska — saw the promo, he jumped on board with the movement for white people to cancel their Netflix accounts in protest.

Others also encouraged white folks to ditch the streaming giant.

https://twitter.com/HalleyBorderCol/status/829418886412042248

https://twitter.com/IWillNutInsideU/status/829407952578637824

Many took issue with the trailer for purportedly supporting (the myth) of reverse racism, with @BakedAlaska going so far as to compare it to white genocide.

https://twitter.com/Insane_Left/status/829523235993690117

https://twitter.com/latinaafortrump/status/829430185518886914

Black Twitter reacted to the boycott with humor, largely seeing the movement as an overreaction.

https://twitter.com/angryblackhoemo/status/829557916030160898

Creator Justin Simien, who also wrote and directed the film that starred Tessa Thompson, responded to the negativity on Facebook.

“I feel strangely encouraged,” he said in part. “To see the sheer threat that people feel over a date announcement video featuring a woman of color (politely) asking not to be mocked makes it so clear why I made this show.”

“Dear White People” will premiere on Netflix Friday, April 28.

When the first trailer for the film dropped, I’ll admit the deluge of claims that I was a reverse racist and a “piece of…

Posted by Justin Simien on Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top