Netflix
The Netflix film "Sierra Burgess Is a Loser" has been accused of romanticizing violation of consent, transphobia, and making fun of the deaf community.
The romantic comedy, released last Friday, follows a nerdy, insecure teen Sierra (Shannon Purser), who one day gets a text from hot jock Jamey (Noah Centineo). However, Jamey believes her to be the skinny, popular girl Veronica (Kristine Froseth). At the same time, the real Veronica struggles to seem smart for her boyfriend. Therefore, Veronica and Sierra team up to help each other impress their crushes. Spoiler alert: In the end, Sierra's true identity is revealed to Jamey, but despite all of catfishing that went down, they end up together.
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View StoryThe overall premise of the mistaken identity and catfishing storyline was one of the issues many viewers had problems with.
Throughout the film, Sierra is ridiculed at school for being overweight and dorky, with schoolmates calling her transphobic and homophobic slurs. In addition, at one point in the movie, Sierra pretends to be deaf and mute because she doesn't want to reveal her voice to Jamey. Jamey's brother, Ty, is actually deaf and so is the actor in real life.
At another point in the movie, Jamey believes that he is kissing Veronica at a party, but Veronica has Jamey close his eyes so Sierra can kiss him. People slammed this part of the film in particular and said that it violated consent because Jamey didn't know he was kissing Sierra.
Ultimately, many claimed that Sierra Burgess really is a loser because after Sierra saw Jamey kiss Veronica before a football game later in the film, she pulled a "vindictive" stunt on Veronica in revenge by hacking into her Instagram account and posting a photo of Veronica and her ex-boyfriend on the scoreboard. Some even claimed this was revenge porn.
"Sierra Burgess" has been openly criticized for these problematic plot points, with many viewers taking to their Twitter accounts to slam the film -- some even reached out to the movie's lead writer.
Read the tweets below.
sierra burgess is a loser had homophobia, transphobia, faking a disability, catfishing, fat shaming, and altogether was absolutely terrible don't @ me
@madisontherat
I watched Sierra Burgess is a loser... and I'm kind of baffled. Sierra was a pretty shitty, selfish self-centered person. The so called “mean girl” Veronica was the best character in the movie & she deserved more. The movie is a major pass/no from me. #SierraBurgessIsALoser
@samlondonnnn
sierra burgess is a loser was terrible written and had transphobic & homophobic jokes, as well as faking being deaf, & an unconsented kiss. the actors are all incredible but the plot sucked and the characters had potential but the writing ruined it.
@cvntineos
sierra burgess is not a loser but she is a selfish, vindictive manipulator who didn't deserve a happy ending because of her ugly ass personality
@hollywhoops
#SierraBurgessIsALoser is the most ignorant movie I think I've ever seen. I've never seen such blatant disrespect to the deaf community or LGBTQ community. Also the catfishing and lack of consent was disgusting to watch. High key don't recommend @netflix @hstweetheart pic.twitter.com/vLOhyKhE5X
@courtneymh36
yesterday I watched sierra burgess is a loser and tbh I'm not really sure what I thought about it, I feel like it kinda gave a bad message about catfishing
@sophdoesnails
Thoughts abt Sierra Burgess is a Loser:
@AllanaTabs
Yep the movie is cute and I get what good they're trying to impose but what Sierra and Veronica did to Jamey was legit creepy and terrible. Imagine if two guys did that to a girl, we would be quick by saying that it's rape & deception 👎
people not liking sierra burgess is a loser are not fatphobic. the movie was problematic making homophobic&transphobic jokes, not to mention sierra literally manipulated her love interest, and backstabbed her friends in the movie. the movie was basically insatiable w/a diff plot pic.twitter.com/W6QDo1Lmsr
@stevnstony
sierra burgess is a loser sucked ,, i was so excited to see a romcom featuring a plus sized girl but the whole movie was just her being a toxic catfish & bad friend zzz
@sapphicempire
Mkay nevermind, fuck the Sierra Burgess movie. For anyone who wasn't told like i was, the movie has a bunch of trans jokes and the writer is making excuses.
@masondeaver
So fuck it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
sierra burgess is a loser disappointed me. transphobic & homophobic jokes, catfishing and faking a disability is suddenly "ok". just because you've got a hard time fitting in doesn't mean being a straight up dick is fine and consent is not a thing anymore. would not recommend
@coolfariaX2
im genuinely so disappointed about sierra burgess is a loser. we all hyped it up thinking it was gonna be a beautiful representation & self confidence movie and it turned out to be a transphobic, homophobic and making fun of serious disorders mess.
@corygruuter
SIERRA BURGESS IS A LOSER: Shannon Purser tries very hard to make this as genuinely felt as TO ALL THE BOYS, & she almost succeeds. It's instead fitfully charming but over-plotted & cliché, & dotted with odd, mostly unchallenged trans/gay jokes? Also: catfishing is bad actually
@bortlb
One Twitter account reached out to directly to the film's writer Lindsey Beer about the transphobic jokes. In the screenshots of the conversation, below, Beer responded and said that she was "deeply sorry" for how the viewer perceived the jokes.
So the writer of #SierraBurgessIsALoser is DMing me and WHEW what a mess dhdjdkd pic.twitter.com/PaavLuPHyz
@harryshumsbitch
Other Twitter users wrote to Beer as well, claiming that she owed many groups an apology, including the deaf community. Beer has since deleted her Twitter account. (TooFab has reached out to Beer for comment.)
All of this "representation"is undercut by a script that is incredibly transphobic, homophobic, and ableist. Just because certain language or actions are meant to show that a character is a bad person doesn't make it acceptable ESPECIALLY when they are redeemed in the end.
@liz_lights
@hstweetheart READ THIS. You owe apology to the cast, crew, deaf community and everyone
@Wahid96_
Except for the fatphobic, transphobic jokes and minority characters relegated to the sidelines. I mean, sure. You go ahead and pat yourself on the back for a terribly written movie.
@micolina_
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