‘Peppa Pig’ introduces a lesbian couple
Popular British kids’ cartoon series “Peppa Pig” has introduced a new storyline with the show’s first same-sex couple: two lesbian polar bears.
The polar bear couple was introduced in an episode called “Families” when their daughter, a character called Penny the Polar Bear, drew a picture of herself holding hands with them.
“I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor and one mummy cooks spaghetti. I love spaghetti,” Penny announced in the episode, which first aired in the U.K. last week.
‘Peppa Pig’ previously criticized for not being inclusive enough
The award-winning children’s show has been criticized in recent years for not portraying the realities of different families, and instead centering on Peppa’s four-member nuclear family.
In 2019, an online petition that has since garnered 24,000 signatures, demanded the inclusion of families with same-sex parents.
“Children watching Peppa Pig are at an impressionable age, and excluding same-sex families will teach them that only families with either a single parent or two parents of different sexes are normal,” the petitioners said in an online statement.
Online discussions ensue after ‘Peppa Pig’ introduced a lesbian couple
News of the polar bear moms on the show quickly led to online discussions, and “Peppa Pig” began trending on Twitter.
Opinions about the show’s introduction of a lesbian couple ranged from high praise to outright disapproval to absolute bewilderment about the buzz.
Some users hailed “Queen of pop Peppa Pig [for] always advancing LGBTQ rights”, but others accused the show of “going woke” or attempting “box ticking”.
Lesbian couple on ‘Peppa Pig’ already hinted at in previous episodes
Though this is the first time their relationship status was directly referenced, the two elder polar bears have made previous appearances on the show.
Doctor Polar Bear was introduced last year in an episode wherein Peppa Pig had her yearly health check.
The whole polar bear family was also shown in another episode wherein the polar bear moms told Penny to “have a lovely time” while dropping her off at Peppa’s house.
The fact that the elder polar bears are a couple was not addressed until “Families” aired, but their relationship was already hinted at.
Lesbian couple on ‘Peppa Pig’ a big win for queer representation
Sarah Ann Kennedy, who wrote two episodes of “Peppa Pig”, credits the show’s global success to its focus on “very universal issues.”
“What’s clever about it is it’s like a soap, they deal with very gentle issues that you have at that age which seem quite big to you,” Kennedy told the Guardian in an interview.
The introduction of a lesbian couple on the show is a big win for children who belong to queer families, according to Robbie de Santos of LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall.
In an interview with the BBC, de Santos said: “Many of those who watch the show will have two mums or two dads themselves and it will mean a lot to parents and children that their experiences are being represented.”