The Parents Television Council (PTC) has recently called out Netflix for its response to the film “Cuties.”
The PTC said the film “normalizes the sexualization of little girls.”
Netflix faces controversy over the French film “Cuties,” which has featured sexualized portrayals of young children. The film is about an 11-year-old girl who rebels against her conservative family to join a dance crew. Conservatives have said some of the scenes are child pornography, according to the Deseret News. An online petition has asked for people to unsubscribe from Netflix in response.
Netflix apologized for the film’s promotional poster last week in a statement given to Deadline. The poster showed young girls in dance uniforms.
- “We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for ‘Cuties.’ It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which premiered at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description,” the company’s statement said
The PTC has slammed Netflix’s apology and the film itself, though.
- PTC President Tim Winter said in a statement to the Deseret News: “Earth to Netflix: You’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. A big part. Not only does ‘Cuties’ perpetuate the very type of child sexual exploitation that you purport to be condemning; you have produced, distributed and profited from a cancerous mass of other sexually exploitative material. ‘Cuties’ is but the latest offering, and your callous response makes clear to millions of Americans across the political spectrum that you have no commonsense decency whatsoever.”
Winter said Netflix is “tone-deaf to an issue on which all human beings should agree: the condemnation of sexual exploitation.”
Winter praised Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who have all spoken out against the film.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee said in a letter to Netflix that his staff is reviewing the film to decide whether to refer it to law enforcement, according to the Deseret News.
- “It would be most helpful if you could provide my office with an explanation on your views as to whether or not the potential exploitation of minors in this film constitutes criminal behavior by Friday, Sept. 18, 2020,” the letter says.