MAGA Influencers Lead Netflix Boycotts Over Transgender Kids Show Amid Stock Drop

Conservative figures, including Elon Musk and MAGA influencers, have initiated a boycott of Netflix, criticizing the streaming service for featuring transgender characters in children's programming, particularly the animated series "Dead End: Paranormal Park." The show, which premiered in 2022 and was canceled in early 2023, centers on a transgender teen and incorporates LGBTQ themes, drawing backlash from right-wing activists who accuse Netflix of "grooming" children and pushing radical gender ideology. Despite the show's cancellation, the controversy gained momentum after clips resurfaced online, amplified by Musk and conservative accounts such as Libs of TikTok, leading to calls for subscription cancellations and a slight decline in Netflix's stock price. Critics of the boycott view it as a manufactured culture war issue and an astroturf campaign aimed at replicating earlier right-wing media controversies. The show’s creator, Hamish Steele, has faced harassment, including antisemitic and homophobic messages, and has denied celebrating the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, an accusation that fueled further outrage. This episode highlights ongoing cultural conflicts over LGBTQ representation in media, with conservatives framing it as a moral battle and others condemning the boycott as baseless and harmful.