Update: After U.S. Sen. Mike Lee became the latest to warn Netflix of the potential legal repercussions for the lewd sexualization of children in “Cuties,” a Texas grand jury took matters into its own hands.
Netflix, Inc. indicted by grand jury in Tyler Co., Tx for promoting material in Cuties film which depicts lewd exhibition of pubic area of a clothed or partially clothed child who was younger than 18 yrs of age which appeals to the prurient interest in sex #Cuties #txlege pic.twitter.com/UJ1hY8XJ2l
— Matt Schaefer (@RepMattSchaefer) October 6, 2020
It remains to be seen whether the plaintiffs will have standing in Texas—that matter alone, of whether a nationally distributing company can be sued in a separate jurisdiction is expected to go before the Supreme Court in its upcoming session.
But the case certainly signals that the moral outrage against Netflix will go beyond a simple boycott of the streaming service, which has inked production deals with high-profile left-wing figures including Barack and Michelle Obama, Susan Rice, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Prince Harry and Meghan Markle).
Prince Harry’s uncle, the Duke of York (aka Prince Andrew) was recently implicated as one of several left-wing figures involved in the child-sex ring orchestrated by millionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Democrats have made other overtures recently toward the normalization and/or legalization of pedophilia, including a California law that loosened the restrictions on sex involving a minor and anyone no more than 10 years older in age.
Original story below:
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, warned Netflix that his office is reviewing its recent film, “Cuties,” in order to determine whether it should be investigated for child exploitation and possible criminal behavior.
The French film features several inappropriate scenes that portray underage girls in sexual positions. According to the film’s IMDB page, which has since been revised, at least one moment in the film could be illegal.
“During one of the many highly sexualized & erotic dance scenes that purposefully exploit & objectify numerous scantily clad under age [sic] girls, one of the female child dancers lifts up her cropped top to fully display her bare breast,” said the IMDB description.
“This is lawfully defined as pedophilia and can be extremely distressing to many viewers,” the parental warning states.
Another scene depicts an 11-year-old girl watches a female rap music video where naked women role-play, through dance, both heterosexual and lesbian sex acts.
Also included is a scene in which a group of underage girls mimics these sexual moves on themselves and on each other.
Thousands of concerned viewers have expressed their opposition to the film and have urged Netflix to remove it, but the streaming giant has thus far refused, and even went so far as to defend it.
“It’s an award-winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up—and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie,” a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.
Lee, however, said in a letter to the company that the film’s inappropriate scenes could directly “encourage the sexual exploitation of young girls by adults,” thereby contributing to sexual predation, child trafficking and child pornography.
“I understand this film contains a broader storyline; however, the film’s sexualization of young girls—if not itself the sexual exploitation of the child actors—will certainly contribute to child sexual exploitation by others,” Lee wrote in the letter.
“At a minimum, it is certainly inappropriate and morally wrong to sexualize minors, regardless of whether the depiction is fictional,” he added.
In a response to Lee, Netflix claimed that “Cuties” does not encourage the sexualization of young girls, but “exposes and condemns the persistent problem of the sexualization of girls in society.”
“‘Cuties” is not pornographic, does not contain underage nudity, and does not depict sexual acts, simulated or otherwise,” Netflix wrote in response.
“The film does not glamorize or promote the sexualization or exploitation of children—just the opposite,” it continued. “The film’s central theme is that the conduct of the ‘Cuties’ is not sexy, arousing, or alluring. Rather, given their ages, it is inappropriate, shameful, and a hallmark of a cultural failing.” .
But as many critics have pointed out, it would have been entirely possible to produce a movie of this nature without including sexualized scenes in it.
Lee urged Netflix to cease distributing “Cuties,” and warned the company that he would recommend it to the Justice Department for investigation if it continues to be streamed.
“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,” he said.
