
Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
Transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner has spoken out in support of comedian Dave Chappelle amid the ongoing backlash over his latest Netflix special, "The Closer."
Chappelle has been the subject of heavy criticism following his culturally and politically charged comedy special in which he said that gender is a scientific fact.
Jenner, who is transgender, tweeted about the Chappelle fracas on Tuesday, writing, "Dave Chappelle is 100% right. This isn't about the LGBTQ movement. It's about woke cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech."
"We must never yield or bow to those who wish to stop us from speaking our minds," Jenner added.
Jenner's remarks piggybacked a video of Chappelle addressing the backlash against the comedy special, in which he said that "corporate interests" were trying to stifle his creative free speech.
In the clip, Chappelle said, "I want everyone in this audience to know that even though the media frames it that it's me versus that community, that is not what it is. Do not blame the LBGTQ community for any of this s**t. This has nothing to do with them. It's about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say. For the record, and I need you to know this, everyone I know from that community has been loving and supporting, so I don't know what all this nonsense is about."
Content warning: rough language
Dave Chappelle is 100% right. This isn\u2019t about the LGBTQ movement. It\u2019s about woke cancel culture run amok, trying to silence free speech.\n\nWe must never yield or bow to those who wish to stop us from speaking our minds.pic.twitter.com/Nklalj6h5Y— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn Jenner) 1635273934
Elsewhere in the clip, Chappelle added, "It's been said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix and I refused. That is not true — if they had invited me I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about," Chappelle said in the video.
"I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix," he continued. "Well, it seems like I'm the only one that can't go to the office any more!" '