Please, no gay bashing on Netflix

I love Netflix. I have been a loyal and passionate subscriber for three years. I have even considered posting my rental queue in my blog.

Earlier this week The Big Gay Picture posted a story about gay bashing in the Member Reviews for Brokeback Mountain. I scanned through 300+ member reviews and found some gay bashing. Many of the first third of the reviews were negative. The writers did not like the story or it was too long or too boring or they didn’t understand it. Other than questioning Hollywood’s “gay agenda”, they weren’t particular homophobic. It is in the last third that they start to get nasty.

I have sent an e-mail and snail-mail to Netflix requesting they investigate and correct.

Dear Netflix:

I have been a long time subscriber, since March 2003,
to your service and have enjoyed your large selection
of GLBT films. I have recommended your service to all
my friends and family. In my household we no longer
have cable or satellite TV hookup. We use Netflix for
our TV entertainment of choice.

Recently, however, I have become concerned that Member
Reviews section of your website is becoming a place to
bash gays with hatred, bigoted, and homophobic
remarks. I have read your review guidelines and notice
that they say:

“All reviews are screened before they are posted.
Reviews will not be posted if they contain:
*Harsh, profane or discriminatory language
*Personal attacks on the movie's creative
personnel”

In the review section for “Brokeback Mountain” are the
following comments that are nothing more than an
attack on gay people.

Michael Pattin
I don't promote homsexuality and refuse to see this
movie regardless. Some will say its good, well they
can go to hell.

Oksana
What is it with Hollywood these days? What's with all
the gay movies? Why do all the movies have to contain
some gay element it in? It's SICK!

TJ from Warrenville, IL
(See my other reviews ...)
These days you turn on the TV and it seems like every
station has a couple gay guys lisping and flitting
around. One time I actually turned the channel and
found six stations in a row featuring gay guys... hair
dressers, decorators, etc. Gay Hollywood would have us
believe that most of us are gay and this movie just
goes along with that idea. This movie was sickening.
The people raving about it hear are probably
pole-smokers too.... not that there's anything wrong
with that.

Levi Hay
I have lost all respect for both of these otherwise
great actors. Boy on boy action is not cool.

Why does Netflix offer a forum to gay bashers? This
does not benefit anyone interested in movies or
entertainment. Would you allow similar reviews to be
printed that attacked African-Americans,
Asian-Americans, Jews, Muslims, etc.? Would you allow
racist, bigoted, hate speech reviews?

I hope that Netflix wouldn't tolerate a review of “In
the Heat Night” or "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" that
talked about uppity black people being disgusting.

I don’t believe that Netflix is homophobic or bigoted
company but clearly your stated guidelines are not
being followed.

I hope you will review and correct these concerns.

Sincerely,
E---

Netflix website says:
Report any reviews you think don't follow our guidelines to problemreview@netflix.com.