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Queen Elizabeth Removed as Head of State; and Netflix Suffers Mass Cancellations After ‘Cuties’ Controversy.
The Caribbean island nation’s government said that “the time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind.” This will include removing Queen Elizabeth as Head of State. They’re hoping to complete the process in November 2021, which will be the 55th anniversary of independence from Britain.
“This is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving,” read a speech written by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
The matter should be handled by the government and people of Barbados, said a source from Buckingham Palace. BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said the idea “was not out of the blue,” and “has been mooted and publicly talked about many times.”
This won’t be the first time a former British colony in the Caribbean has become a republic. In 1970, Guyana took the same step. In 1976, Tobago and Trinidad did the same, and so did Dominica in 1978.
However, removing the Queen as head of state is quite unusual.
Related: ‘The Queen is Dead’, Royal Commentator Posts on Twitter as Rumors Swirl
The controversial film “Cuties” has led to a slew of subscription cancellations for Netflix, following its release on the streaming service. The film was released on Sept. 9 and critics quickly urged subscribers to #CancelNetflix. As a result, cancellations increased to eight times the daily average, according to Variety.
“With the #CancelNetflix hashtag continuing to trend on social media, it is possible elevated churn could continue in the coming days, according to the firm,” wrote Variety.
However, the film’s director, Maïmouna Doucouré, says the movement is misguided. She says the movie is actually about the dangers of sexualizing girls from a young age.
“It’s because I saw so many things and so many issues around me lived by young girls, that I decided to make this film and sound an alarm and say we need to protect our children,” said Doucouré.
Netflix echoed the sentiment, releasing a statement that said “Cuties” is “social commentary against the sexualization of young children. It’s an award-winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up – and we’d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie.”
Not even the best phone deal offering prime streaming services can help Netflix if this movement continues to catch on. However, time will tell.
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