thank you for 1,474 signatures!

UPDATE (9:05am Friday 8th November 2024 ET):We’re sorry to hear that the staff of Dropout has been facing threats and intimidation, we have also seen firsthand this harassment in the community for speaking out against Zionism.We’re ending the call for a boycott. Although we do wish that the initial statement could’ve been made earlier and we thought that it could have been stronger in acknowledging the harm that was caused and in making actionable steps for the future, we welcome it as a show of goodwill and appreciate the company’s firm denouncement of Zionism as well as the donation that has been made to the PCRF. We’re disappointed that it has been taken down, but we recognise the immense stress Dropout as well as its staff and performers are under from Zionist attacks and that the safety of everyone involved is a priority.

We also want to make it clear that no threats of violence or legal action have been made on behalf of the boycott or anyone organising it, and if any have been made that it is not reflective of our beliefs or feelings on the matter. These actions are not tolerated, and we denounce them wholeheartedly. We still encourage you to read our Carrd for updates and accurate information but we want to stress that calling on a company to do better for the safety of their fans is not a threat, and that threatening anyone is never okay.If you or people you know are facing legal threats for standing against Zionism, we would like to direct your attention to organisations like Palestine Legal
in the US for help and support. We encourage you to support these fan-led efforts to raise money for Palestine such as Dimension20 Artists for Palestine and the Calorum Cookbook’s digital sales in aid of eSims for Gaza. Please also look into the BDS movement if you haven’t already, and get involved in local organisations to help the people of Palestine.We thank you all for your support through this movement, and encourage you to keep holding the people and companies in your life accountable. Continue to advocate for Palestinians and those facing bigotry, and take care of one another in any way you can.~ The Dropout Boycott organising team.[We will be leaving this document up for archival and informational purposes.]

#DROPOUTBOYCOTT

We demand that Dropout:

1. Release an explicit and public statement unequivocally denouncing Zionism and committing to the freedom of all Palestinians as well as the decolonization of Palestine.2. Remove all known Zionists from their programming going forward and release a statement regarding those who have been on the platform previously to acknowledge how it has harmed the Dropout fan community, especially its Palestinian and anti-Zionist Jewish supporters.3. Refuse to work with Zionists in every capacity possible regarding Dropout’s production and release going forward and provide more transparency when and why Zionists may be involved in production and release.4. Make a commitment to work with Palestinians and anti-Zionist Jewish people within the TTRPG and comedy spaces moving forward and listen to those voices as to what they would like to see from the platform.

You can view the full demand letter with a list of current signatories and relevant correspondence from Dropout as it is updated here.

We as fans and supporters of Dropout Media who have continually promoted its media as a safe haven for people of color, queer people, the neurodiverse, and other marginialised identities are pledging to boycott Dropout in solidarity with a free Palestine. We are all taking an unyielding stance against platforming zionists and keeping silent in the wake of a genocide.

We would like to thank the organisers of the #BigBadBoycott for their work which heavily inspired this Carrd as well as our demand letter. Thank you for encouraging us to speak up against complacency in the face of Zionism and expect better from the companies we have supported.

WHY DROPOUT?

You can read the letter outlining our demands, as well as a full account of relevant correspondence and a list of current signatories.

Dropout has recently continued platforming known Zionists. With the most recent episode of Dirty Laundry (S4E6: Whose House Was Raided on Suspicions of Terrorism?) featuring Noah Grossman, who has upheld his Zionist beliefs throughout more than a year of ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people and bragged(?) about his grandfather's direct role in the start of the Israel-Palestine conflict in 1948. When promotions of the episode of Dirty Laundry featuring Noah first premiered on the 22nd of October, 2024, fans immediately voiced their disappointment and disapproval, calling for Dropout CEO Sam Reich and Dirty Laundry host Lily Du to answer why this choice to platform a known Zionist was made.Dropout, Reich, and Du's silence was deafening when, a week after, fans' initial backlash had still been unanswered whilst the Dirty Laundry Instagram was responding only to comments that made no mention of those subjects. We believe that public pressure from their audience, as well as the TTRPG and comedy spaces, is necessary to push Dropout to truly commit to anti-Zionism.This is not the first time Dropout has platformed a known Zionist.
Rachel Bloom has appeared in the trailer for the new Make Some Noise season, and though the episode featuring her has yet to premiere, she also appeared in the debut of Monét’s Slumber Party (S1E1: How Much Does It Cost).A timeline outlining Dropout’s uncomfortable relationship with Zionism.

November 2023 - Moderators of official Dropout Discord (since closed) placed a ban on political talk after Zionist statements were made by fans in the server and pro-Palestinian fans asked for clarity and moderation regarding Dropout’s official stance on the matter.
November 2023 - Backlash from fans after a ban on political talk in the official discord due to Dropout’s history of left-leaning and progressive politics being a big part of its brand and beliefs of its cast. (1, 2, 3, 4)
November 2023 - After backlash, CEO Sam Reich regretted the ban calling it “tone-deaf” but stated the ban was intended to be temporary. He further stated that fans should not expect Dropout to comment on world issues, but that Dropout should be held to a high standard regarding business practices.
March 2024 - Dropout raises $213,810 for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund with Fantasy High Minis Auction.
May 2024 - Dropout releases trailer for new Make Some Noise season featuring known Zionist Rachel Bloom.
July 2024 - Known Zionist Rachel Bloom is featured in the debut of Monét’s Slumber Party (S1E1: How Much Does It Cost)
October 2024 - Dirty Laundry’s promotion of new episode features known Zionist Noah Grossman who has previously stated his pride regarding his grandfather’s direct contribution to starting the initial Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 1948 by being a co-founder of the state of Israel as an established entho-religious state as a consequence of Zionism.
October 2024 - Backlash from Dropout fans primarily on X (previously known as Twitter), and later TikTok and Instagram is met with silence from Dirty Laundry’s official social medias. No statement from any official Dropout show social media or relevant parties including CEO Sam Reich, Head of Production Kyle Rohrbach, or Executive Producer David Kearns has been issued despite repeated calls from fans to address the situation.
November 2024 - Dropout releases a statement in response to this situation.
November 2024 - Dropout removes previous statement and posts two tweets in response.

Transcript of tweets:
[Since Monday, Dropout has received an unsustainable amount of physical threats to the safety of our staff and existential legal threats to the company.]
[We stand committed as ever to the safety, freedom and lives of the Palestinian people.
We reject antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry, and welcome all to our platform who treat others with respect, empathy, and human dignity.]

FAQ

Why does it matter that Dropout had a Zionist guest?Firstly it is important to note that Noah Grossman has not been the first Zionist to be featured on Dropout nor its first to be featured after their views on the matter were publicized. Rachel Bloom who appeared on the debut episode of the dropout show, Monét's Slumber Party (S1E1: How Much Does It Cost) has continued to be an active voice for Zionist values to this day.Zionism is a "settler-colonial political movement that calls for establishing a Jewish nation-state in Palestine with a Jewish majority." It is an inherently racist ideology that is predicated on the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians.By platforming Zionists after donating to the PCRF (Palestine Children's Relief Fund), Dropout has shown that they will not truly stand by their proclaimed beliefs.Due to their reputation for speaking out against white supremacy, the police state, the prison system, capitalism, patriarchy, xenophobia, racism, homophobia, etc, and in doing so have cultivated a safe space for those who do not usually find one in media, their blatant disrespect for the crisis facing Palestinians is a betrayal to their own community.Furthermore, staying silent on the matter has signalled to Zionists that they are welcome in the Dropout community. This has placed Dropout's Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim fans in the same digital space as those who would cheer for their deaths and places anti-Zionist Jews in the same space as those who invalidate their Jewishness. Dropout's continued silence is actively and currently placing multiple groups of people at risk of harassment, bullying, and doxxing.

How does the boycott help Palestine?
The majority of Palestinians have vocalised that the continued silence and inaction of the world at large has felt like betrayal and abandonment. Many Palestinians continue to plead with the international community to stand in solidarity with them and do whatever is within our means to end this genocide as quickly as possible. Palestinians have said that our voices matter so we will not be complicit in this silence.The least that any person or company can do is express their unwavering support for Palestine. This is particularly true for Dropout due to its American roots at this time when America is not only complicit but is actively aiding the genocide.

Why are you boycotting Dropout and not other, larger streaming platforms?
Dropout has, before its inception, explicitly upheld the leftist beliefs of anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, and social equality by spotlighting anti-capitalist stories and empowering marginalised comedians.The platform has grown exponentially due to its political ideologies and the work of its fans, such as The Calorum Cookbook, which raised $7324.18 for Action Against Hunger and has re-opened digital sales to encourage e-SIM donations to Gaza.However, Dropout is not perfect and has made mistakes in the past, such as stating that political talking points were not allowed in the now-closed public discord. This mistake was rectified with a retraction of the initial statement from CEO, Sam Reich. However, Dropout has made a mistake again. Platforming Zionists, endangering their Palestinian fans, and ignoring their anti-Zionist fans goes against the beliefs of this company that prides itself on not being like other, bigger streaming sites.

Are you accusing all of the Dropout staff and guests of being Zionists and anti-Palestine?
No. In fact, currently, Ally Beardsley, who is a popular and frequently recurring guest featured in multiple Dropout shows including as an "Intrepid Hero" cast member in Dimension 20, is currently facing legal repercussions for protesting for Palestine. People are capable of actions that align with and enable Zionism without explicitly identifying as Zionists or even being against Palestine.However, in this case, Dropout has chosen to platform another known Zionist and ignore the backlash following that decision. Regardless of whatever their intentions were, Dropout as a company, CEO Sam Reich, Head of Production Kyle Rohrbach, and Executive Producer David Kearns are all showing support for Zionists and the validation of Zionism.

Why did the boycott need to happen at all instead of handling the issue privately?
As Dropout made their promotion featuring a Zionist public, it is only fair that fans commented publicly on this matter, hoping for an explanation and resolution. After a week of no action or response on Dropout's end, we will no longer be silenced and ignored on this matter of great importance. We will demand accountability, and we will demand it as publicly as their promotion of a Zionist was and continues to be.