Chappelle called out for ‘hostile transphobia and homophobia’ in Netflix special

A Black LGBTQ advocacy organization and GLADD are calling out Dave Chappelle for “ridiculing trans people” and for “hostile transphobia and homophobia” in his latest Netflix special.

The button-pushing comedian debuted his latest project, “The Closer,” on Tuesday.

In the special, Chappelle reportedly defended J.K. Rowling against critics who have called the “Harry Potter” author transphobic.

He also told the audience, “Gender is a fact.”

“Every human being in this room, every human being on earth, had to pass through the legs of a woman to be on earth. That is a fact,” he said, before using crude terms to compare a transgender person’s anatomy to a Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger.

In a statement posted on Twitter a day after the stand-up special’s release, GLAAD blasted the Emmy Award winner as becoming synonymous with mocking “marginalized communities.”

Dave Chappelle’s brand has become synonymous with ridiculing trans people and other marginalized communities. Negative reviews and viewers loudly condemning his latest special is a message to the industry that audiences don’t support platforming anti-LGBTQ diatribes. We agree. https://t.co/yOIyT54819

— GLAAD (@glaad) October 6, 2021

National Black Justice Coalition executive director David Johns said in a statement to CNN that “Netflix should know better,” calling on the media giant to pull the plug on “The Closer” and “directly apologize to the transgender community.”

“It is deeply disappointing that Netflix allowed Dave Chappelle’s lazy and hostile transphobia and homophobia to air on its platform.” -David J. Johns

Read the full article on his special with the link https://t.co/v9TxhENZbE pic.twitter.com/aZJcx39cLy

— NBJC (@NBJContheMove) October 6, 2021

A Netflix spokesperson declined to comment about “The Closer” to ITK.

It’s not the first time Chappelle’s remarks about transgender people have stirred controversy. In previous specials, the 48-year-old comic made quips about reality TV star-turned-politician Caitlyn Jenner and wondered aloud whether transgender women were trying to “trick” men into having sex with them.

In a 2017 interview, Chappelle denied that he was transphobic, saying, “I wouldn’t consider myself that because I’m not even sure what the term means.”

“Do I discriminate against somebody because they’re trans?” Chappelle said. “I would like to think absolutely not.”