Hollywood has phed a ncerted, dtry-wi effort for years to place LGBTQ-related entertament to programs aimed at young dienc, often tim operatn wh gay rights group GLAAD.
Contents:
- 12 POPULAR CHILDREN’S TV SHOWS THAT HAVE GAY CHARACTERS
- 2020 WAS ANIMATN’S BIGGT, GAYT YEAR SO FAR
- WARNG TO PARENTS: PRO-GAY RTOONS ARE ON THE RISE
12 POPULAR CHILDREN’S TV SHOWS THAT HAVE GAY CHARACTERS
* gay cartoons shows *
Wh shows like Steven Universe leadg the charge and changg the game, no longer do we have to settle for “child-appropriate” (read: homophobic) censorship. Premierg on Nickeloon, The Loud Hoe ma history by troducg the work’s first married gay uple, Howard (Michael McDonald) and Harold McBri (Wayne Brady). In addn to s vibrant animatn and killer soundtrack, the show ma wav wh s troductn of Benson (Coy Stewart), an openly gay male character (who even the word gay onscreen, a rary kids’ animatn.).
When live-actn televisn began makg roads for gay reprentatn durg the turn of the century, animatn remaed a tratgly straight (if equently queer-d) affair.
2020 WAS ANIMATN’S BIGGT, GAYT YEAR SO FAR
The reasons behd the medium’s slowns were obv and, predictably, homophobic. So, pearl-clutchg TV crics would argue, children shouldn’t be exposed to “adult” (read: gay) characters through rnchy rtoons.
Wtern animatn, meanwhile, eher featured gay characters one-off episos (see “The Simpsons'” inic John Water’s gay steel l episo) if they were aimed more at adults, or kept hidn subtext if the target dience was younger. For example, years after “The Proud Fay” first aired, creator Ralph Farquhar admted that the character of Michael was wrten as gay, but had to be merely queer-d to nform wh Disney’s standards at the time.
WARNG TO PARENTS: PRO-GAY RTOONS ARE ON THE RISE
Between the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” bill and numero anti-trans laws passed red stat, there has been a ncentrated nservative effort to monize LGBTQ people and prevent discsn of sex and genr inty among children.
In celebratn of Pri Month, let’s take stock of the bt and gayt that animated TV has to offer.
Pl, was ambig enough that the creators had to e out and affirm they were gay to a nfed fanbase. It might not be the bt gay animated show, but between s numero LGBTQ characters and a seri fale set at a pri celebratn, might be the most gay animated show.