Netflix is one of the world’s leading streaming platforms. Its stated mission is to entertain the world through a vast library of films, documentaries, series, and games. With nearly half a billion viewers across 190 countries and over 50 languages, it has become more than a streaming service. It is a cultural force. The first author of this article has been a regular subscriber since September 2021. He has been following its programming with scholarly curiosity over the years.
Is entertainment neutral? When viewed across seasons, patterns begin to emerge. One such pattern is the steady normalisation of LGBTQ+ identities across adult, teen, and children’s content.
Consider a few widely watched series. Emily in Paris presents itself as a light-hearted romantic drama set in cosmopolitan France. Across its seasons, bisexual relationships are bizarrely slipped into the storyline. Characters such as Camille and Sofia are portrayed within emotional arcs that invite empathy and normalisation. Julien is depicted as a gay marketing executive. Etienne, a Chinese immigrant street performer, is portrayed as a bizarre gay man while simultaneously experiencing visa insecurity.
In Designated Survivor, an American political thriller, two Black male characters, Dontae and Troy, are depicted in an intimate relationship. Their storyline incorporates themes such as HIV awareness and educational policy. Similarly, in Dynasty, Steven and Sam are portrayed in a marital relationship marked by emotional intensity and eventual breakdown. In the Spanish sports drama Olympo, gay and lesbian athletes are portrayed as conveniently normalised characters.
When half a billion viewers consume content curated in LGBTQ+ environments, the boundaries between entertainment, ethics, and religion seriously blur.
The more sensitive terrain, however, is teens and children’s programming. According to a report published by Concerned Women for America, 41% of G-rated series and TV-Y7-rated series on Netflix contain LGBTQ+ content. For instance, in Dead End: Paranormal Park, a character named Barney identifies as transgender. Transformers: EarthSpark introduces discussions around pronouns and non-binary identities. Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous features a same-sex kiss between adolescent girls.
We have just referred to a few series in this article. However, if one explores through the Netflix search option with the word LGBTQ+, they will certainly find numerous videos meant for adults, teens, and children. It is surprising to find that even children’s content is rated for 18+ years of age. We strongly believe that the orchestration of LGBTQ+ characters on Netflix not only disrupts the smooth flow of the storyline but also leaves a bitter taste for the majority of its viewers.
This brings us to some disturbing questions.
Why does Netflix showcase LGBTQ+ content so consistently? First, the answer is market-driven. Second, it reflects a broader ideological commitment to diversity and inclusion. Finally, it has a political agenda that is financially rooted. Netflix is a nearly 400-billion- dollar publicly traded company. Even for the President, Donald Trump, who boldly and repeatedly announced during his last election campaign and presidential victory address that there are only two genders, male and female, it may not be easy to hold Netflix accountable for showing LGBTQ+ content conspicuously.
Is Netflix shaping identity rather than reflecting it? The more accurate answer is that it does both. In so doing, it amplifies LGBTQ+ identities, legitimises them, and renders them socially visible. A constant visibility, in turn, may normalise non-binary characters, even when they differ from the prevailing cultural norms in our society.
For Pakistan, the implications are complex. The country operates within a distinct religious, legal, and cultural framework. When Pakistani adults, teenagers, and children consume global streaming content without mediation, they encounter normative models that diverge sharply from their religious, cultural, and ethical codes.
This raises several additional questions.
First, how many Pakistani audiences experience confusion regarding gender identity because of exposure to LGBTQ+ content now abundantly available on Netflix? There is currently insufficient empirical data to address this question; nevertheless, we may not rule out the possibility of increasingly emerging transgender and non-binary characters in our society.
Second, how are Pakistani educational institutions responding? Most institutions seem unprepared to address the implications of exposure to LGBTQ+ content. Instead of developing a code of ethics to address the issue, they choose to remain silent, even when LGBTQ+ cases are reported on their premises.
Third, what is the role of parents? We believe that a passive subscription is no longer viable. Parental controls exist, but they need awareness and proactive monitoring as well. Responsible parenting requires active supervision and the implementation of a strong moral compass within the family.
Fourth, what is the role of the state? Blanket censorship is neither practical nor technologically enforceable in a digitally networked world. However, regulatory bodies require clearer content labelling, media literacy campaigns, and indigenous creative industries that reflect local cultural narratives. The long-term solution lies in strengthening domestic storytelling capacity.
Finally, the question is whether we, as parents, educators, policymakers, and scholars, will remain passive consumers or become critical interpreters of the LGBTQ+ stories that negatively influence our children. Surprisingly, Pakistani major English Newspapers feature popular Netflix series, including explicit LGBTQ+ content, regularly in their showbiz section, which often implies a subtle endorsement of these series to their readers.
Moreover, the deeper issue here is religious and cultural sovereignty in an algorithmically driven age where even AI casts a shadow over such content and debate. When half a billion viewers consume content curated in LGBTQ+ environments, the boundaries between entertainment, ethics, and religion seriously blur. Islam, like other major religions, does not allow non-binary relations. You must read about the people of Lot, who appear in multiple places in the Holy Quran. So, what happened to them when they engaged in non-binary and genderqueer relations and rejected the Prophet Lot’s message and divine guidance?
In this age of streaming, culture is no longer imported on ships and planes. It arrives silently, episode by episode, into our living rooms. The task before us is not outrage but a responsibility, not denial but an informed engagement, and not silence but an appropriate action.
The first author is a Professor of English at Riphah International University, Lahore. He is a lead guest editor at Emerald and Springer publishing.
The second author is an Assistant Professor of English at Govt. Graduate College for Women, Samanabad, Lahore