Children’s TV show Peppa Pig has made waves in joining the very few kids shows to feature a same-sex couple in their storylines.
The programme, created by British animators Mark Baker and Neville Astley, has been running since 2004, and shockingly, this is the first time in its 18-year history that a same-sex couple has been featured.
Loved by pre-school audiences and parents around the globe, Peppa is one of the most recognisable characters in the cartoon world, so it would only make sense for the series to recognise and showcase an accurate reflection of society.
The first same-sex couple to feature on the programme was included in an episode titled ‘Families’. The two characters were introduced to the audience as Penny Polarbear’s two mums!
While drawing a portrait of her family, Penny explained: "I live with my mummy and my other mummy. One mummy is a doctor, and one mummy cooks spaghetti."
Fans of the animated show took to Twitter to share love and support for the representation showcased to kids.
One user wrote: “Peppa Pig introducing its first same-sex couple has given me such happiness.”
Another shared: “They should have done this weeks ago!”
A third shut down any haters by saying: “Wow, so many people triggered by this. So what? The reality of life is that there are a lot of same-sex couples raising healthy and happy children.”
We 100% agree!
Peppa Pig is not the first to showcase same-sex relationships. The four to eight-year-old target audience US animation Arthur received praise in 2019 after featuring a gay wedding in the show.
Other well-known animated series that have addressed LGBT relationships include Steven Universe and Adventure Time, both of which are American productions targeted at viewers aged 10 and up.
It’s great to see the range of real-life relationships being displayed and accepted on children’s tv. Hopefully, others acknowledge this and follow suit.
