This article originally appeared onm o d e r n i t yand was republished with permission.
Netflix’s aggressive bid to swallow Warner Bros. Discovery hit a wall last week, with a “tampon incident” playing a key role in turning Republican lawmakers against the deal.
As details emerge, it’s clear the virtue-signaling stunt of stocking men’s restrooms with feminine hygiene products highlighted Netflix’s unyielding commitment to radical transgender ideology, even as they begged for political approval in a post-woke era.
The drama unfolded during a congressional delegation’s visit to Netflix headquarters in Los Angeles several weeks ago, part of an annual tour around Grammy Awards time. Among the attendees was Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, a skeptic of Netflix’s claims to political neutrality.
The New York Post reports that while on the premises, Smith noticed a basket of tampons in the men’s restroom—a common tech company gesture to promote “inclusivity” for transgender employees.
But for conservatives, such moves symbolize efforts to normalize transgenderism, with ripple effects like encouraging harmful surgeries on children, eroding the nuclear family, and allowing biological males to dominate women’s sports.
“Let’s just say the chairman was pretty disturbed,” an insider familiar with Smith’s reaction told thePost.
The incident quickly rippled through Capitol Hill, reinforcing GOP suspicions that Netflix’s programming remains steeped in woke values. As one GOP staffer with firsthand knowledge put it: “This is 2026, not 2020. What were they thinking?”
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos had been mounting a charm offensive, including a Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee grilling last month by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Sarandos insisted Netflix appeals to all tastes and faces stiff competition from social media and YouTube.
“Price wasn’t Sarandos’ only obstacle,” notedNew York Postcolumnist Charles Gasparino. “During the six-month bidding war, many Republicans in Congress, state AG offices and of course the White House came to believe that Netflix was seeking to create a monopoly in streaming — an increasingly important way Americans consume entertainment.”
Source: The Vigilant Fox
