Social media users have called for boycott of Netflix for a scene in an episode of its show CoComelon Lane showing a boy dancing in a tutu that critics called "just evil."
CoComelon Lane is a Netflix original series made for kids. In episode 8 of Season 1, titled, Nina's Three-Legged Race / Say Cheese Nico / Nina Shares a Treat, which was released in November, a boy named Nico was having trouble deciding what to wear for his family photo. 100% Acrylic Knit Hat&Sock Set
Both of the dads in the scene sing, "Something that we know about you, you love to get up and dance." Then, Nico changed into a tutu and crown and began to dance. One of the dads sang to Nico: "If you're not sure what to choose, think about all the things you like to do. Just be you." Nico then asked: "Just be me?" And the dad replied: "Yep."
Conservatives continue their push against the LGBTQ+ community with fears that children would be "groomed" to become gay or transgender. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is currently tracking more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills across the U.S. as conservatives call for the end of "wokeness." The term woke was first used by Black communities and refers to someone who is educated on social injustice and racial inequality. The word is used by conservatives as a jab to progressive values.
After the one dad said "Yep," the other dad sang: "When you're trying to decide, think about all the things you like to do. Just be you." Nico then said: "Just be me!"
The clip was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by the account @EndWokeness with the caption: "The new CoComelon Lane on Netflix has a boy in a dress dance for his 2 gay dads. CoComelon is the most popular show for babies and toddlers ages 2+."
The clip shared on social media was just one part of the full scene, which showed Nico trying on all kinds of outfits, like a firefighter uniform and a chef's coat.
Newsweek reached out to CoComelon via website and Netflix via email for comment.
Matt Walsh, a right-wing political commentator and bestselling children's book author, wrote on X: "Netflix needs the full Bud Light treatment for this."
Walsh was referring to conservatives' boycott of the beer brand for collaborating with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April.
Auron Maclntyre, host and columnist at Blaze Media, a conservative media company, wrote on X: "It's not rocket science guys. They're just evil and want to diddle kids."
Ben Shapiro, co-founder of conservative news site The Daily Wire, wrote on X: "Stop letting Hollywood indoctrinate your kids in gender garbage," and suggested people stream Bentkey, a children's video subscription service by The Daily Wire.
"Just a matter of time, of course. Can't have anything natural and edifying. Cocomelon was actually wholesome," conservative podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey wrote on X. "The mom and dad were loving to each other. Some songs emphasized traditional gender roles. Now we get a boy in a tutu."
Inez Stepman, a senior policy analyst at a conservative non-profit called the Independent Women's Forum, wrote on X: "Even aside from the gay and transgender stuff in this, 'just be you' is terrible advice to a toddler. The you most of us are at age 2 is the you that screams for ice cream."
Meanwhile, others on social media slammed the people criticizing the show rather than the show itself.
X user @VAMichaelaLaws posted a gif with the caption, "You can't fix stupid," and wrote: "The funniest thing about conservative snowflakes getting upset about Cocomelon having a new gay couple on the show is the fact they fully believe that if they close their eyes tightly and cry hard enough into their phones, gay people who have kids will no longer exist."
"Grown adults crying and threatening to boycott cocomelon cause they have a gay couple on the show," X user @Deplatformnaya wrote. "They're mad about a show for toddlers btw."
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Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in October 2023. She is a graduate of The State University of New York at Oneonta. You can get in touch with Rachel by emailing r.dobkin@newsweek.com.
Rachel Dobkin is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting on politics. Rachel joined Newsweek in ... Read more
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