Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Trans ex-Netflix employee talks Chappelle, 'Closer' controversy
Exclusive
by Andrew Davis
2021-10-28

This article shared 2874 times since Thu Oct 28, 2021
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


The Closer, Dave Chappelle's latest special for Netflix, has caused considerable controversy—especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community, many of whom say the production contains transphobic jokes.

Among those who were (and still are) protesting Chappelle are members of Trans*, Netflix's employee resource group. On Oct. 20, a walkout with more than 100 protesters and allies was held; according to Variety, a "Stand Up in Solidarity With Team Trans* at Netflix!" video was released that same day that includes appearances by Ashlee Marie Preston, Jonathan Van Ness, Angelica Ross, Jameela Jamil, Mason Alexander Park, Kate Bornstein, Our Lady J, Sara Ramirez, Peppermint and Colton Haynes.

One member of that employee group was thought leader B. Pagels-Minor, a program manager who was let go for allegedly "sharing confidential, commercially sensitive information outside the company" to a media company—something Pagels-Minor denies.

Panels-Minor, who still has ties to Chicago, spoke with Windy City Times about Netflix, The Closer, Chappelle and their own future (which includes a baby).

Windy City Times: Before we dive into the heart of the matter, could you tell our readers about your connections to Chicago?

Pagels-Minor: I first arrived in Chicago in 2006, and went to Northwestern University. I stayed in the city until 2018. I did a little of everything, like women's and open men's leagues for CMSA [the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association] for softball; I was an intern for the Lesbian Community Care Project; I was on the advisory board for Howard Brown Health, and I've been on Howard Brown's board of directors for seven years; and I'm on the boards of directors for YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and the Northwestern Alumni Association.

WCT: Regarding The Closer, was that the breaking point for you at Netflix? Had other things happened that led up to the walkout—or was this something you saw and just couldn't take?

P-M: Well, it's interesting. First and foremost, I think The Closer was the catalyst for [the break] between the community and the trans community at Netflix. But it was actually the follow-up—when concerns were raised about the content of The Closer—that the true breaking point occurred. Those are the things that were leaked to Variety and some other places about Ted's [co-CEO Ted Sarandos'] memos about his thoughts and how he wanted to respond to complaints from internal employees.

Ted's response was, essentially, "You don't understand comedy. You're not mature enough to understand the nuances of this. Netflix employees aren't smart enough to get this." And that was very un-Netflix-y; Netflix isn't that type of organization. Usually, you can write a memo and say, "This didn't make sense to me and this is why," and we can move on—but that didn't happen here. That was the breaking point.

WCT: Out of curiosity, what initially drew you to Netflix?

P-M: Well, I've had two roles at Netflix, and I was a senior data product manager. My former manager reached out to me at about 11 p.m. in October or November of 2019. He said, "I Googled you. You have such an interesting background. Would you like to work on my team?" We met for coffee, and the very first thing he asked me was what my pronouns are, "to be respectful of you." It was the first time any manager had asked me that question. I thought, "I might want to work here." I thought he saw my whole identity. My former company was pretty cool, but I didn't feel like I could be my whole self all the time.

WCT: And just to be clear, what's your current status with Netflix?

P-M: I was terminated on Oct. 14. My current status is that I'm a free agent who's growing and healing.

Essentially, they thought I was the individual who leaked information to publications.

WCT: Which you say wasn't true?

P-M: Correct.

WCT: So have you seen all of The Closer?

P-M: So, I didn't watch the whole thing. What I did was read the transcript, and I've seen a number of the clips.

I am not the person who is the target of a Chappelle special. It has nothing to do with transphobia; I've always struggled with his misogyny. So I didn't feel the need to watch video footage, other than the clips I've seen.

WCT: If you had a one-on-one with Dave, what would you say to him?

P-M: "Hey, Dave: The thing about all the stuff you're saying is that it seems to come from a lack of education, right? I think you're a smart person, and you probably don't think what you're doing is harmful—but let's take a walk down the road of education."

First and foremost, for instance, the special seems to miss that Black trans people exist. It literally pits the "gays"—which he seems to connote as being white—against the Black community. And there is a ton of us in both categories, and we disagree that it's all that simple. Intersectionality is a very complicated thing.

I also think that if he talked with Black LGBTQ+ people, the first thing people say is that they don't see a difference between the civil-rights and LGBTQ+[-rights] movements. They're very tied together. In fact, when you look at the Supreme Court case that granted same-sex marriage, they alluded to Loving v. Virginia because it's about this idea of equity and equality. We should be talking about how to unify ourselves against the actual powers that be.

Then, I would ask him if he's ever read anything about the biology of trans people. Because when he talks about the fake vaginas, I was just, like, "Man… Wow." It's disturbing commentary—and he obviously doesn't understand what people go through. I feel like if he just talked to people, you would never belittle something the way he did. It all just comes back to education—so that the next time you do a special, it would actually be funny.

Trans stuff can be hilarious. For instance, when I first got pregnant I saw the OB-GYN. She asked, "Where's your wife?" and I said, "No—it's me. I'm the pregnant person." She was so confused and nervous. I was, like, "Girl, whatever. I know I look masculine but I have a vagina, and this baby is going to come out of this vagina." So there is hilarity in the community, but it starts with understanding the community. Then, we can get to the point that Dave said—not talking about us anymore until we can laugh together. I would love to get to that point. It takes too much energy for us to fight each other.

WCT: What do you say to those who say that the situation is another sign of "cancel culture?" I know that Caitlyn Jenner recently defended Dave Chappelle, citing that very reason.

P-M: Oh, my gosh—I cannot say enough about how people miss the point there. Anyone who has mentioned cancelling Dave is not a Netflix Trans* employee; that's not the desire there. The desire is to create parity in content, and to educate people about trans experiences. If it was about cancel culture, he wouldn't have a sold-out tour right now. This is all blown out of proportion, and it's not the goal of Netflix's Trans* group.

WCT: Netflix came out with a statement supporting trans employees, but do you feel like the company truly has the employees' backs?

P-M: No, not necessarily. Before I was terminated, one of the concerns I brought up was the fact some of the employees were being identified and harassed online. The question was: How are you going to protect people? Your actions/inactions are causing real-world harm and suffering.

I do think Netflix has a long way to go to prove it cares about employees. There's nothing wrong with focusing on having great relationships with talent and wanting to entertain the world. However, you also should value your employees and take care of them. There's a push and pull that has to happen for the company to be successful. It's the best media-technology company in the world—and that happens by having these diverse employees who will have different opinions and who will need different types of support.

WCT: So what's in the future for B.?

P-M: So, I'm going to have this baby next month—and then I'm going to figure out how to deal with having a baby. It's going to be a big learning curve, and I might have to write some blog posts about what I've learned. After that, I'll take a look at the market and figure out what I want to do; I'm fortunate that I've built this network not just in California, but in Chicago as well. I've literally been amazed at the outpouring of support I've received, and I'm looking forward to the next challenge.

WCT: Would you like to add anything?

P-M: I just want to say one more time that what is so concerning is the lack of understanding of trans lives. When you think about the upcoming Trans Day of Remembrance [Nov. 20], something like two-thirds of that list are Black trans people—and that's only the people we know of, right? There are so many people who die, and we never know who they were. That's the thing I think is so harmful about this: We're forgetting about how dangerous it is for Black trans people to exist in this world.

That's the thing I think I was most disgusted by. A Black man was helping to further erasure of this community—and I don't think he understands he's doing that. That's why this is so much about education.


This article shared 2874 times since Thu Oct 28, 2021
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Nex Benedict's autopsy report released 2024-03-27
- The full autopsy report for Nex Benedict (he/they)—a 16-year-old transgender and Indigenous student from Oklahoma's Owasso High School who died in February a day after a school fight—has been released. The Oklahoma Office of the Chie ...


Gay News

An interstate trans healthcare crisis: Illinois prepares for influx of people seeking gender-affirming care 2024-03-26
- With hard-won rights, such as access to hormone replacement therapy or permission to use one's chosen pronouns in school, breaking down in states across the country, trans residents of all ages are left with a choice: ...


Gay News

No charges filed in Nex Benedict fight; campaigns call for Walters' removal 2024-03-22
- In Oklahoma, Tulsa County District Attorney Stephen Kunzweiler announced that no charges will be filed in connection with the fight that happened the day before transgender, nonbinary high school student Nex Benedict died by suicide, NBC ...


Gay News

JP Karliak morphs into non-binary character for Disney+'s X-Men '97 2024-03-22
- series X-Men '97, a revival of the popular X-men: The Animated Series that's both continuing the ongoing mutant storyline and breaking new ground along the way. The character of Morph now looks more like the comic ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Va. marriage bill, AARP, online counseling, Idaho items, late activist 2024-03-21
- Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed bills protecting same-sex marriages at a state level, surprising some, WRIC reported. The bills—passed out of both chambers along mostly party lines—will require clerks ...


Gay News

Almost 8% of U.S. residents identify as LGBTQ+ 2024-03-16
- The proportion of U.S. adults identifying as LGBTQ+ continues to increase. LGBTQ+ identification in the U.S. continues to grow, with 7.6% of U.S. adults now identifying as LGBTQ+, according to the newest Gallup poll results that ...


Gay News

WORLD Leaked messages, Panama action, author dies at 32, Japan court, out athletes 2024-03-15
- Hundreds of messages from an internal chat board for an international group of transgender health professionals were leaked in a report and framed as revealing serious health risks associated with gender-affirming care, including cancer, according to ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Missouri measure, HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, judge, Texas schools 2024-03-15
- In Missouri, a newly proposed law could charge teachers and counselors with a felony and require them to register as sex offenders if they're found guilty of supporting transgender students who are socially transitioning, CNN noted. ...


Gay News

College athletes sue NCAA over transgender policies 2024-03-15
- Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines was among a group of college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on March 14, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing trans swimmer Lia Thomas ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition' 2024-03-15
- Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...


Gay News

SPORTS Red Stars prepare to kick off NWSL season against Utah Royals 2024-03-15
- It's been a busy winter for the Red Stars, and it's time to put their work to the test. Following a last place finish in the 2023 NWSL season, Chicago has had an active offseason transforming ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ people attacked by mobs in Greece 2024-03-14
- Just weeks after a landmark law granted same-sex couples in Greece the right to marry, nearly 200 people dressed in black chased a transgender couple through the town square in Thessaloniki, the country's "second city" and ...


Gay News

Howard Brown experts discuss advocacy and allyship for Chicago's trans community 2024-03-14
By Alec Karam - Howard Brown Health's Trans & Gender Diverse People's Rights & Patient Care panel convened March 12 to discuss both resources for—and opportunities to provide allyship to—the city's trans and gender diverse communities. The event hos ...


Gay News

UPDATE: Nex Benedict's death ruled a suicide; family responds 2024-03-13
- A medical examiner's report concluded that the cause of death of Oklahoma student Nex Benedict (he/they) was suicide, media reports confirmed. Benedict—a 16-year-old transgender student—died Feb. 8, a day after ...


Gay News

"X" gender marker now available on Illinois driver's licenses and state ID cards 2024-03-11
- After several years of preparation, the Illinois Secretary of State's office is has been making the X gender designation available for non-binary residents and others not utilizing the M or F designations, since the beginning of ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.