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In letters to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) are calling for the streaming service to immediately cease distribution of the film “Cuties” because of its sexualized depiction of children and potential to encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults.
CNSNews.com’s parent organization, the Media Research Center (MRC), is encouraging subscribers to the entertainment service to call Netflix and demand they cancel this movie that exploits young girls.
As MRC’s NewsBusters explains, “Cuties” features “Female breast nudity of a minor during an erotic dance scene and lengthy and excessive closeup shots of breast, bums and spread crotches of scantily clad 11-year-old girls during numerous sexualized dance routines.”
In one scene detailed by NewsBusters, a child female character named Amy attempts to seduce an adult man, and then posts a picture of her naked crotch online:
“Amy started to take off her clothes and offer herself sexually to a different adult man whose phone she stole. He pushed her away and said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ She then ran into the bathroom with the phone, pulled down her pants and underwear, took a picture of her crotch, and published it online.
“The message was clear: ‘Look at this precocious, sexpot 11-year-old trying to seduce grown men! The men have to resist her advances!’ This is nothing more than twisted pedophile fantasy.”
Sen. Lee’s letter warns CEO Hastings that “My staff is reviewing the film and the pertinent law to determine whether to refer the presentation of this film to the United States Attorney General for investigation.”
“At a minimum, it is certainly inappropriate and morally wrong to sexualize minors, regardless of whether the depiction is fictional,” Sen. Lee writes.
“The inappropriate scenes might encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults,” Sen. Lee warns:
“While I have concerns with the movie’s young actresses’ influence on other young girls, my larger concern is with the possibility that the inappropriate scenes might encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults.”
In order to protect children from “horrible abuse,” Sen. Lee calls on Netflix pull the movie from its offerings:
“In the interest of protecting children in both the United States and internationally from this horrible abuse, I call on Netflix to cease distributing this movie.”
In his letter, Sen. Hawley calls on the Netflix CEO to provide answers to a series on questions by Friday, September 18, 2020 – and to “immediately remove this film from your platform” because it is “depicting children being coached to engage in simulated sexual acts, for cameras both onscreen and off.”
The senator asks Hastings to provide information on Neflix’s marketing of the film, consideration of anti-child pornography laws, and efforts to protect the children who acted in, or view, the film:
- “Why did your company designate this film with a ‘TV-MA’ for ‘language’ without any mention of its graphic sexual content?”
- “Did Netflix consult with any law enforcement authorities or experts about the possibility of copycat behavior, such as the viewing and imitation of hardcore pornography, by children who may see this film?”
- “Did Netflix…take measures to ensure the protection of the physical, mental, and emotional health of child actors made to perform simulated sex acts and filmed in sexual or sexually suggestive ways?”
- “What internal algorithmic designations has Netflix appended to this film, and what are the primary algorithmic characteristics of the film’s primary viewership?”
“Maybe @Netflix would like to come talk this over before Congress,” Sen. Hawley replied to a Thursday tweet reporting that Netflix is defending the film by calling it a powerful, award-winning “social commentary.”
Senators Hawley and Lee aren’t the only members of Congress seeking an investigation into Netflix’s “Cuties,” Fox News reports:
“Lawmakers in Washington, most of them Republicans, called Friday for the Justice Department to take legal action against Netflix for streaming the highly controversial film ‘Cuties’ — claiming the comedy-drama sexualizes young children and ‘serves as fodder for pedophiles.’
“The critics included U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind. — as well as U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii.”
In a tweet asking Americans to “#CancelNetflix,” Rep. Gabbard explains why the dangerous effects of a film like “Cuties” are of personal concern to her:
“@netflix child porn ‘Cuties’ will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade. 1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children. It happened to my friend’s 13 year old daughter. Netflix, you are now complicit. #CancelNetflix”
“She’s 100% right,” the president’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., replied to Gabbard’s tweet, adding that the film and those “viciously defending it are trying to normalize pedophelia!!!”
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Additionally, Texas state legislator Matt Schaefer is calling for an investigation into the sexually-graphic portrayal of children in a film intended for adult audiences, MRCTV reports:
“The French film repeatedly features a group of little girls as young as 11 scantily clad in underwear ‘twerking’ and gyrating in hyper sexualized dance moves for the entertainment of adults.
“In clips circulating online following the movie’s official release Thursday, the film also includes scenes in which an 11-year-old bares her chest, and multiple scenes featuring close-ups of young girls’ genitalia and backsides clothed only in underwear. The movie is rated TV-MA, meaning this film showing half-naked, gyrating children is intended for adult audiences.”
America’s viewing public is also expressing its disgust with the film. A Change.org petition demanding Netflix pull “Cuties” has obtained nearly a half-million signatures to-date.
Editor’s Note: If you’re disturbed by Netflix and the media’s support of this harmful film, please call Netflix at 888-373-8390 and tell them to cancel “Cuties.”
