Action Letter to Netflix CEO

Dear Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr.,

My name is Erin Spencer and I’m writing a letter about my concern for how asking for consent has been portrayed in the media.

There is an astounding lack of consent being asked for in our television shows and movies. After watching 8 hours’ worth of shows that have been made in the last 10 years, my colleagues and I found only 1 instance of someone verbally asking for consent. That’s only 1 out of 70 instances of initiated romantic contact. That’s extremely concerning to me. 

A 2010 study done by Dr. Melanie Beres, a professor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, found that most college students believe that asking for explicitly consent is awkward or uncomfortable and prefer to initiate romantic or sexual contact non-verbally. This can’t continue if we are trying to normalize giving and receiving consent! We have to find ways to show people that not only is consent necessary, it can also be romantic.

So, I am asking you, as CEO of Netflix to commit to portraying the romantic side of asking for consent. I know it’s possible for it to be normal, but the media has made it so abnormal that we all think it’s weird to talk about sex or even kissing before it happens. Why should it “ruin the moment”?  

In the year 2021 would you be willing to produce at least 5 movies or shows that will put asking for consent in a good and romantic light? I believe this would increase society’s positive attitude about asking for consent, which will hopefully produce some clarity on sexual assault proceedings. The waters are muddy, but I believe you have the unique opportunity to make them clearer.

Thank you for your time,

Erin Spencer

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