Netflix accused of silencing Trans critics of 'Emelia Pérez' ahead of Oscars
Photo: AFP
Jessie Earl, a journalist and LGBTQ+ advocate known for her YouTube channel Jessie Gender, has accused Netflix of threatening her with a copyright strike to force the removal of her critical video on Emilia Pérez.
Earl took to BlueSky, stating, “Netflix has forced me to delete my video on Emilia Pérez or face a copyright strike on my YouTube channel. They are actively threatening my livelihood and attempting to silence trans critics of their film. Absolutely atrocious.”
Netflix has forced me to delete my video on Emilia Perez or face a copyright strike on my YouTube channel. They are actively threatening my livelihood and attempting to silence trans critics of their film. Absolutely atrocious.
— Jessie Gender (@jessiegender.bsky.social) 2025-01-31T10:13:58.032Z
The controversy surrounding Emilia Pérez, now streaming on Netflix, has intensified as more trans voices have joined the conversation about the film's portrayal of transgender characters. While the movie, starring Karla Sofía Gascón, who has been hailed as the first openly transgender performer, received acclaim at Cannes, subsequent critiques by trans reviewers have been notably harsh.
GLAAD described Emilia Pérez as “a profoundly retrograde portrayal of a trans woman”, pointing out the disconnect between the film's representation and the real experiences of trans people.
Recently, the film has also been in the spotlight due to Gascón's resurfaced tweets containing racist, Islamophobic, and fatphobic remarks, as well as a past tweet insulting her Emilia Pérez co-star Selena Gomez.
Amid these controversies, the film remains Netflix's most-nominated project at this year's Oscars. With a record-breaking 13 nominations, Emilia Pérez became the most-nominated non-English language film in Academy history..